Scandal-Hit Former Yokohama Mayor to Seek Re-election

Yokohama, Sept. 28 (Jiji Press)--Former Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka, who resigned this month following a power harassment scandal, informed his supporters on Monday of his intention to run for re-election in the Oct. 18 poll.

At a closed-door meeting of his supporters, Yamanaka apologized for the scandal and promised to create a city government free of workplace harassment, according to several attendees. He also expressed his hope to fulfill his campaign pledges from last year’s mayoral election.

After the meeting, Yamanaka told the press, “I will tell you about that tomorrow.” He will hold a press conference on Tuesday to officially announce his re-election bid.

So far, five people have declared their candidacies--lawyer Atsumi Harasawa, 59; company manager Atsushi Fukuyama, 37; former lawmaker Kazuma Nakatani, 43; Yuka Asaka, 46, deputy leader of the Japanese Communist Party’s Kanagawa prefectural branch; and civic group representative Sachiko Fujikawa, 51.

Harasawa is backed by the Liberal Democratic Party’s municipal chapter, the Democratic Party for the People’s prefectural chapter and Komeito’s city assembly members, while Nakatani has support from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan’s prefectural chapter. Yamanaka’s candidacy is expected to make the race highly competitive.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]