KOBE -- Campaigning for the Oct. 28 Kobe mayoral election officially began Sunday, with five candidates vying to replace Mayor Kazutoshi Sasayama.

Sasayama is to retire at the end of his third term.

Tatsuo Yada, a former deputy mayor, is the continuity candidate in the race, supporting a policy agenda similar to Sasayama's but with less emphasis on development projects.