Kumamoto prefecture gubernatorial election: Takashi Kimura, endorsed by the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, is certain to win for the first time

In the Kumamoto prefecture gubernatorial election, which was a contest between newcomers for the first time in 16 years, former deputy governor Takashi Kimura (49), who was recommended by both the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito Party, was elected for the first time.

[Breaking news on vote counting] Kumamoto prefecture gubernatorial election

We will provide you with a quick report on the votes received by candidates and by voting station.

Voting for the Kumamoto Prefectural gubernatorial election closed at 8 p.m.

NHK's pre-situation coverage and exit polls of voters who had cast their votes on the 24th showed that Kimura, the former vice governor of Kumamoto Prefecture, was recommended by the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, but local organizations of the four opposition parties voluntarily supported him. He is far ahead of former Kumamoto mayor Masafumi Koyama (58), who has held the position.

Additionally, in a survey conducted among those who voted early by the 23rd, Mr. Kimura was ahead in the polls, and is expected to steadily increase his vote share in the future, making it certain that Mr. Kimura will be elected for the first time. .

Mr. Kimura is 49 years old from Tokyo.

After joining the current Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in 1999, he was seconded to Kumamoto Prefecture and served as deputy governor for over three years until January this year.

During the election campaign, Mr. Kimura touted his accomplishments in attracting Taiwanese semiconductor giant TSMC, emphasized that he would work to solve problems such as traffic congestion, and also called for improvements in welfare and medical care.

As a result, in addition to solidifying the support base of both the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito Party, which received his recommendation, he also gained a certain amount of support from so-called independents, ensuring his first election.

In this Kumamoto prefecture gubernatorial election, 325,241 people, or approximately 23% of voters, had cast early votes by the 23rd.

According to a survey conducted by NHK of 5,455 voters who completed early voting at eight polling stations in Kumamoto Prefecture over an eight-day period during the election period, Mr. Kimura outperformed Mr. Koyama and three other candidates. I did.

Furthermore, looking at the daily results, Mr. Kimura outperformed Mr. Koyama and others on all eight days of the survey.