nuclear-news

The strategy appears to be working, according to an Asahi Shimbun poll.

“The Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito are throwing all their weight behind him,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in Tokyo’s Ginza district Feb. 2 while canvassing support for Yoichi Masuzoe, 65.

New Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi chimed in, standing side by side with Abe and Masuzoe on the campaign vehicle.

“The metropolitan government and the national government will join hands to make Tokyo No. 1 in the world,” he said

……Hosokawa is focusing on a zero-nuclear platform, and is backed by former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, another staunch opponent to the Abe administration’s pro-nuclear policy…….

A victory by Hosokawa could deal a serious blow to the administration’s policy to restart idled reactors once they are declared safe by nuclear regulators.

Government and coalition officials have downplayed the nuclear energy debate, emphasizing it is not the only issue in the election. Masuzoe, Abe and Yamaguchi all skirted the nuclear energy issue Feb. 2……http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/AJ201402030074