Japan Press Weekly

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2013 April 17 - 23 [ELECTION]

JCP wins assembly seat in disaster-hit town for the first time in 12 years

In the April 21 assembly election of Iwaizumi Town in the disaster-hit prefecture of Iwate, the Japanese Communist Party regained the seat it lost 12 years ago.

JCP candidate Hayashizaki Kyojiro pledged to have the town office cancel the plan to increase the average national health insurance premium by around 13,000 yen per household, give shape to a plan to support reconstruction of individual houses, and push the national government to give up implementing the consumption tax hike and the plan to enter the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement. He was elected to office among the 17 candidates running for 15 seats.

After declaring his intention to run for the election in February, Hayashizaki made speeches on the street almost every day, and worked hard to realize local residents’ demands.

Requested by Hayashizaki to not raise national health insurance premiums, the mayor said that he will consider reducing the premium if the situation changes.

In response to residents’ claims that they can hardly pay the required deposit of three months’ rent before moving into a public housing unit for disaster victims, Hayashizaki demanded that the town stop collecting the advance payment and his demand was met. He attracted support from locals through these activities.