Local Election Wins Open Way for Abe to Tackle Defense Laws
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Candidates backed by Japan’s ruling coalition swept prefectural elections over the weekend, easing the way for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to press on with delicate defense and trade plans.
Candidates supported by Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party and its Buddhist-backed coalition partner Komeito won all 10 elections for prefectural governors, the highest-profile positions contested in simultaneous local polls on Sunday. Many of the winning candidates were also backed by the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan.