The Boston Globe Online / Nation | World
Tokyo elects nationalists; questioned ties with US
by Shigeyoshi Kimura, Associated Press, 04/12/99
TOKYO - An author known for hawkish nationalist views emerged
as the victor of Tokyo's closely watched gubernatorial election
yesterday, beating out the candidate backed by Japan's governing
party.
Elections were also held yesterday for heads of 11 other prefectural,
or state, governments.
The Tokyo race has drawn nationwide attention, much of it focused on
the winner of the contest, Shintaro Ishihara, author of the 1989 book
"The Japan That Can Say No," and a vocal opponent of the US military
presence in Japan.
As his rivals conceded defeat, Ishihara said Tokyo voters had chosen
him because he offered strong leadership.
"The people have waited for a strong and clear message," Ishihara
told supporters in a victory speech.
The outspoken author's victory was a setback for Prime Minister Keizo
Obuchi's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which had strongly backed
former senior UN official Yasushi Akashi as its official candidate.
Ishihara's campaign was boosted by his tremendous name recognition.
He is a winner of the country's most prestigious literary prize and
is the elder brother of one of Japan's most beloved actors, the late
Yujiro Ishihara.
Tokyo election officials said that with more than 97 percent of the
votes counted, Ishihara, 66, had about double the ballots of his
nearest rival and had secured more than 25 percent of vote, the
minimum required to win the governorship.
Although the head of Tokyo's municipal government has little influence
over national policy, the governor's race has been widely viewed as
an important political barometer for the nation.
The elections have also been seen as a gauge of the popularity of
Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's ruling Liberal Democrats, whose
candidate, Akashi, appeared to place fourth in the ballot.
The ruling party vote was split between Akashi and two other
candidates with strong ruling party ties - Ishihara and Koji Kakizawa,
both of whom have held Cabinet positions Liberal Democrat-led
governments.
Ishihara's victory could prove a headache for Obuchi, as the new
governor-elect has long been a critic of US-Japan security ties, and
the government is trying to upgrade bilateral defense guidelines.
Ishihara has said he wants to use Yokota, a major US military base,
as a commercial airport. However, he does not have the power to close
the base.
The vote comes at a time when Japan is beset by a prolonged recession
and calls for change are increasing.
Tokyo's new governor will face problems such as a ballooning city
budget deficit of $1.7 billion, surging unemployment, pollution, and
deteriorating schools. He will be in charge of a $53 billion budget.
With 97.1 percent of ballots counted as of late yesterday, election
officials said Ishihara had 1,633,512 votes, compared with 834,926 for
his closest rival, Kunio Hatoyama, who was endorsed by the main
opposition Democratic Party.
Final results were not expected to be released until early this
morning.
Political scientist Yoichi Masuzoe had 815,517 votes, and the Liberal
Democrat-backed Akashi had 677,190.
Incumbents appeared set to win in the other gubernatorial races.
Most of the winning candidates ran as independents.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This story ran on page A02 of the Boston Globe on 04/12/99.
© Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.
