Yokohama mayoral voting begins with seven candidates, including former mayor

Voting began in Yokohama’s mayoral election on October 18, with seven candidates competing in a contest triggered by the previous mayor’s resignation over workplace harassment. Polling opened at 07:00 at 626 locations across the city, Tokyo Shimbun reported. Polls are scheduled to close at 20:00, and ballots will be counted the same day. The newspaper said the overall direction of the result was expected to become clear that night. [ 1 , 5 ]

Former mayor Takeharu Yamanaka (山中竹春), 54, is seeking to return to office. Tokyo Shimbun described the question of continuing his administration as the main issue. The other candidates include a civic group representative, a former lower-house member, a lawyer, a company president, an architect and a prefectural Communist Party vice-chair. All candidates except the Communist Party nominee are independents. Asahi reported that candidates had advocated measures to prevent a recurrence of workplace harassment, improve city finances and prepare for disasters during the campaign. [ 1 , 5 ]

Turnout is also being watched after reaching 41.64% in the previous mayoral election in August last year, Asahi reported. Through October 16, 381,727 people had voted early, roughly 7% more than the 357,639 recorded at the comparable point in the previous contest. The newspaper said the highest turnout since mayoral elections were separated from unified local elections in 1978 was 68.76% in 2009, when voting coincided with the general election that brought a change of national government. The lowest was 29.05% in 2013, when incumbent Fumiko Hayashi was re-elected. [ 1 ]