OSAKA — Down to the wire, Sunday's Osaka gubernatorial election continues to be a tight race, with 38-year-old lawyer Toru Hashimoto reportedly holding on to a slight lead over his rivals. But look for a dark horse as 40 percent of voters remain undecided.
Five candidates are running. Hashimoto, a lawyer familiar with the TV talk show circuit, has the official endorsement of the prefectural chapter of the Liberal Democratic Party and the support of New Komeito, the LDP's ruling coalition partner. Former Osaka University professor Sadatoshi Kumagai, 63, has the backing of the Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party and Kokumin Shinto (People's New Party). The Japanese Communist Party is throwing its weight behind 57-year-old lawyer Shoji Umeda.
Two other candidates, Seiichi Sugiura, 59, a local businessman, and Masaaki Takahashi, 65, a former junior high school teacher, are running as independents but are considered long shots.