Pro-nuke Aomori Governor re-elected

June 7, 2015

Aomori’s pro-nuclear Gov. Shingo Mimura returned for fourth term

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/06/07/national/politics-diplomacy/aomoris-pro-nuclear-gov-shingo-mimura-returned-for-fourth-term/#.VXRfBkbwmos

Kyodo

AOMORI – Aomori Gov. Shingo Mimura cruised to a fourth term in office Sunday by defeating a candidate backed by the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party, according to Kyodo News projections.

Mimura, 59, supported by the local chapter of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, the LDP’s junior coalition partner, secured broad support in the prefecture, including from labor unions in the power industry.

During his campaign, the governor signaled that he would adhere to the existing nuclear policy in the prefecture, which hosts a fuel reprocessing plant and other nuclear facilities.

Mimura also promised to battle the prefecture’s depopulation woes by creating jobs and expanding welfare. Aomori has the second-highest rate of population decline in the nation.

His challenger, doctor Susumu Otake, 64, campaigned for closing all nuclear facilities in Aomori, saying the prefecture, famous for its apples, should withdraw from the nuclear power and nuclear fuel reprocessing businesses altogether.

A nuclear fuel-reprocessing plant in the village of Rokkasho plays a key role in the nation’s plans to recycle its hoard of spent nuclear fuel.