Photo/Illutration Yasutomo Suzuki, middle, wins the Shizuoka gubernatorial election on May 26 in Shizuoka. (Kazuhiro Nagashima)

SHIZUOKA--Yasutomo Suzuki, a former mayor of Hamamatsu, won the Shizuoka gubernatorial race on May 26, dealing another setback for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Suzuki, 66, endorsed by the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Democratic Party for the People, defeated Shinichi Omura, 60, former vice governor supported by the LDP, and four other candidates.

Suzuki received 728,500 votes, while Omura gained 651,013.

Voter turnout was 52.47 percent.

The main election issue was the plan of Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) to build a section of the magnetic-levitation (maglev) Chuo Shinkansen Line through Shizuoka Prefecture.

The previous governor, Heita Kawakatsu, had refused to approve construction work, citing environmental concerns.

Both Suzuki and Omura said they would support construction of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen Line if it doesn’t harm the environment.

Therefore, attention for the election also focused on voter sentiment toward the national parties.

This was the first major local election held since the LDP lost seats in the three Lower House by-elections in April.

The results in Shizuoka Prefecture showed that voters remain upset over the political fund scandal in the ruling party and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s handling of the matter.

Suzuki said he would promote the maglev project after resolving water and environment issues. He is expected to accelerate discussions with JR Tokai and the central government regarding construction work in the prefecture.

The election followed the resignation of Kawakatsu in April after he made remarks perceived as occupational discrimination.

Kawakatsu had rejected JR Tokai’s bid to work on the maglev line in Shizuoka Prefecture, citing the need to preserve water resources of the Oigawa river and the natural environment of the Southern Alps.

Suzuki, a former Lower House member who served four four-year terms as Hamamatsu mayor, has a strong support base in the western part of the prefecture.

Using his name recognition, Suzuki emphasized his achievements in industrial promotion, while leaders of the CDP and DPP showed up for his campaign and targeted voters critical of the LDP.

Omura emphasized his experience as a bureaucrat, but that was not enough to win.

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