Campaigning has started for 12 gubernatorial elections, including the all-important race for Tokyo governor. These are part of a series of local elections to be held in April, the results of which will have a significant impact on national politics. As it enters the 21st century, Japan must implement drastic political, economic and social reforms on both the national and local levels. Amid the recession, local authorities are plagued by fiscal, welfare, environmental and many other problems. Efforts must be made to create a kind of local politics befitting a new age of decentralized power.

Elections will be held April 11 for 12 governorships, the mayor of Sapporo, members of 44 prefectural assemblies and members of the municipal assemblies in 11 major cities. On April 25, there will be ballots for heads of other local governments and members of other local assemblies. Gubernatorial elections will be held in Hokkaido, Iwate, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Fukui, Mie, Osaka, Tottori, Shimane, Fukuoka, Saga and Oita prefectures. Except in Tokyo and Osaka, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and opposition parties have put up joint candidates.

Establishment parties took a drubbing in the local elections held in 1995. Those results reflected the will of floating voters. The unexpected victories of former comedians Mr. Yukio Aoshima and Mr. "Knock" Yokoyama, both independents, in the Tokyo and Osaka gubernatorial races were tantamount to a public rejection of party politics. Politicians have an obligation to eliminate public distrust of party politics.