CHIBA--The Chiba governor's race kicked off Thursday in what will provide a key test for both scandal-hit Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan) and the unpopular ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Five candidates are running in the March 29 election--the first major poll since the March 3 arrest of opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa's aide concerning suspected illegal political donations.
For Minshuto, the gubernatorial election could show how much the scandal has hurt the party's chances of taking over the government in the next Lower House election, which must be held by September.
Minshuto Secretary-General Yukio Hatoyama has called the Chiba election "second only to a national election" in calling for voters' judgment.
For the LDP, favorable election results could allow the party to drop the defensive posture it has adopted amid the dwindling support ratings for Prime Minister Taro Aso's Cabinet.
The winner will replace Governor Akiko Domoto, 76, who has no party affiliation and decided not to seek re-election after serving two four-year terms.
Minshuto is backing Taira Yoshida, 49, a former railway company president.
Designated by Domoto as her "successor," Yoshida is also backed by the Social Democratic Party, Kokumin Shinto (People's New Party), a local party--and even some LDP politicians.
The arrest of Ozawa's aide, Takanori Okubo, and the growing controversy concerning donations to the opposition leader's organizations have already changed the face of the campaign.
After Okubo's arrest last week, campaign staff in northern Chiba Prefecture removed 150 posters
募金featuring a photo of Yoshida with Ozawa. The new posters have no picture.
During his 30-minute speech in front of JR Kashiwa Station on Wednesday morning, Yoshida did not mention Minshuto even once.
The LDP decided not to back a single candidate after party lawmakers and prefectural assembly members remained split over three key candidates: actor Kensaku Morita, 59; Masumi Shiraishi, 50, a Kansai University professor; and Yoshida.
The party will let members vote on their own.
Shiraishi is also supported by the LDP's junior coalition partner, New Komeito.
Since the beginning of this year, the ruling parties have consistently been on the losing end in local elections.
On Wednesday, Yoshihide Suga, deputy chairman of the LDP's Election Strategy Council, talked to Aso about Morita, a former LDP lawmaker who is considered a strong candidate because he is well known to the public.
"He may win. If so, the atmosphere (surrounding the LDP) will improve," Suga told Aso.
Given the public's distrust in politics, Morita and Shiraishi are also trying to keep a distance from any political party in their campaigns.
The other two candidates are Fusayuki Hatta, 64, director of a social welfare organization who is backed by the Japanese Communist Party, and Kenichi Nishio, 58, a former Chiba prefectural assembly member.
Minshuto's fate could depend on unaffiliated voters, who have backed the opposition party but are sensitive to political-money scandals.
Another factor could come into play. The custody period of Okubo for the March 3 arrest ends on March 24, five days before the election. An indictment against Ozawa's aide that close to the voting day could affect voters.(IHT/Asahi: March 13,2009)
