The Osaka mayoral campaign took an unexpected turn over the weekend as the Japanese Communist Party candidate dropped out and called on voters to support current Mayor Kunio Hiramatsu over former Osaka Gov. Toru Hashimoto.
Koichi Watashi, 59, told reporters Saturday he made the decision out of a desire to stop Hashimoto, who is running for mayor to implement his plans to integrate the prefecture and city. JCP politicians in both the prefectural and municipal assemblies were the earliest, and most persistent, critics of the governor's budget cuts and leadership style.
"Democracy means listening to minority opinions. But Hashimoto has no interest in them. Even if Hiramatsu and I together got a majority of votes, if Hashimoto were to finish with the most votes, it would mean the approval of fascist, dictatorial politics," Watashi said.