All JCP candidates returned in Aomori and Machida city assembly elections

In the city assembly elections on February 24 in Aomori and Machida, all of the Japanese Communist Party candidates were returned, backed by citizens greatly angered by government corruption, in particular the case of LDP Dietmember Suzuki Muneo.

Five JCP candidates for the assembly in Aomori City (with a population of about 300,000 in Aomori Prefecture in Northeastern Japan) were elected in the election. The total number of seats was 38, a cut by six from the previous total of seats.

In Machida City (with a population of about 380,000) in Tokyo, all five JCP candidates won their seats in the race. The city assembly has now 36 seats, four less than four years ago. In the mayoral election, Samizo Hiroko, a woman candidate supported by the JCP, put up a good fight. She was about 10,000 votes behind an LDP candidate, though both were defeated by the incumbent mayor.

These successful results apparently reflect citizens' strong indignation at LDP Suzuki's arbitrary interference in Foreign Ministry affairs, and a powerful sympathy with the JCP vigorously challenging against the adverse politics, Akahata stated.

In Machida, fierce anti-communist attacks were launched especially by the Komei Party and its religious parent body Soka Gakkai, shouting "Get rid of all JCP seats from Machida," and "Communists are liars."

JCP members and supporters rose in action to repel such anti-communist slander and engaged in various grassroots activities calling for better living conditions. (end)