Politics Opposition candidate wins Shizuoka gubernatorial election

This doesn't bode well for PM Kishida: the former mayor of Hamamatsu, supported by the opposition, emerged victorious in the Shizuoka gubernatorial race on Sunday, marking a setback for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's governing party. Yasutomo Suzuki triumphed over Shinichi Omura, the candidate backed by Kishida's Liberal Democratic Party, and additional contenders.

Another focal point of the close contest has been a new governor's policy on Japan's stalled project to build a high-speed maglev train line through the prefecture. Suzuki, like his main rival, is a proponent of the maglev project, the construction of which has been delayed due to persistent environmental concerns raised by former Gov. Heita Kawakatsu. Suzuki's victory comes as the approval ratings for Kishida's Cabinet have remained at their lowest levels since its launch in October 2021 amid a political funds scandal engulfing the LDP.

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The governor's election was initiated after Kawakatsu resigned due to criticism over his disparaging remarks about agricultural workers and produce merchants in April. Kawakatsu, who began his tenure in 2009 and served his fourth term, is a vocal opponent of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen project by Central Japan Railway Co., also known as JR Central. JR Central claims that the high-speed rail line would stimulate the local economy and act as an essential alternative route in case a severe earthquake or tsunami disrupts the coastal railways. The proposed rail line aims to connect Tokyo, Nagoya, and eventually Osaka, cutting through a brief segment of northern Shizuoka at speeds up to 500 km/h. However, the current plans do not include a station stop within the prefecture.

Maybe they can finally get that maglev built.