Campaigning began Thursday for the Yamagata and Gifu gubernatorial elections, with three independent candidates, including Yamagata incumbent Kazuo Takahashi, registering for each race.
Takahashi, 74, will seek his fourth consecutive four-year term. He faces challenges from newcomers Hiroshi Saito, 47, a former Bank of Japan employee, and Kazuya Homma, 50, vice chairman of the Japanese Communist Party's Yamagata prefectural committee.
The elections will be held Jan. 23.
In Gifu Prefecture, Hajime Furuta, 57, a former chief of the Foreign Ministry's Economic Cooperation Bureau; Kazuhiko Kinoshita, 63, head of the prefectural workers consultation center; and Tatsuya Kakita, 51, a critic on food-related issues, will compete to replace Gov. Taku Kajiwara.
Kajiwara, 71, who heads the National Governors Association, announced in September he will retire after completing his fourth term.
In the Yamagata race, Takahashi, the oldest governor in Japan, is backed by the Social Democratic Party, the prefectural chapter of the Democratic Party of Japan, the prefectural assembly members of the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito.
He is set to emphasize his efforts to create a better educational system through smaller classes and to promote regional industries.
Saito, supported by LDP Diet members, including former LDP Secretary General Koichi Kato, is calling for prefectural government reforms, including reducing employees' pay and promoting the hiring of more women in senior posts.
Endorsed by the JCP, Homma has proposed efforts to ensure financial resources for Yamagata Prefecture and improving measures for the employment of young people, welfare for the aged and child-care centers.
In the Gifu election, Furuta, endorsed by the LDP, DPJ and New Komeito, will propose creating a new organization to check the policies of the prefectural government and increasing support for nonprofit organizations.