Fukuoka Governor Hattori Wins 2nd Term

Fukuoka, March 23 (Jiji Press)--Fukuoka Governor Seitaro Hattori won his second term in Sunday's gubernatorial election in Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan, defeating three other candidates, including lawyer Koichiro Yoshida.

Hattori, 70, an independent candidate, was backed by the Liberal Democratic Party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People, Komeito and the Social Democratic Party.

Voter turnout was 31.58 pct, up from 29.61 pct in the previous election four years ago, which was a record low.

Hattori waged an organized campaign while highlighting his accomplishments during his first term. He garnered broad support for his pledges to install air conditioners in prefectural high school gymnasiums and other facilities and to reduce the burden of nursery school fees on households with three or more children.

Yoshida, a 45-year-old independent supported by the Japanese Communist Party, advocated an immediate increase in the minimum wage. Nobuo Shindo, a 76-year-old representative of a political organization, called for the introduction of a basic income system that would provide flat cash allowances, and Takahiro Fujimaru, 48, an independent candidate who is a self-employed worker, appealed for his original policies. But the three failed to gather enough votes.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]