Japan’s Premier Faces Fresh Blow as Ally Loses Election
- Suga supported his former minister in Yokohama mayoral vote
- Loss undermines chances city will host Japan’s first casino
Photographer: Masanori Genko/The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images
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Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga suffered a fresh blow amid criticism of his pandemic management, when his favored candidate lost an election for mayor in the city where he began his political career.
Hachiro Okonogi was defeated by Takeharu Yamanaka, a former university professor supported by the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, in the race for mayor of Yokohama, according to results posted by the city government. LDP votes in Japan’s second most-populous city were divided between Okonogi and the incumbent mayor, which also hampered his campaign.