JAPAN: PARTIES CAMPAIGN BRISKLY IN GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

Record ID: 347412

  • Title: JAPAN: PARTIES CAMPAIGN BRISKLY IN GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN.
  • Date: 20th January 1967
  • Summary: ELECTIONEERING BY SASAKI (JAPAN SOCIALIST PARTY), TSUJI (KOMEITO), NISHIO (DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS) AND PRIME MINISTER SATO (LIBERAL DEMOCRATS). Initials GM/V/JF/MM Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 4th February 1967 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TOKYO & SANO, JAPAN
  • Country: Japan
  • Reuters ID: LVAZEHPPGEFEAH60ILOV31HUL1
  • Story Text: JAPAN GOES TO THE POLLS ON 29 JANUARY TO ELECT A NEW GOVERNMENT. BRISK CAMPAIGNING IS GOING ON AMONG THE PARTIES COMPETING FOR THE 486 SEATS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

    A FOCAL POINT OF THE ELECTION IS THE TURMOIL WITHIN THE RULING LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, HEADED BY MR. EISAKU SATO. THIS TURMOIL HAS BEEN TERMED "THE BLACK FOG"---A MIXTURE OF CORRUPTION DISCLOSURES AND ALLEGATIONS AGAINST SOME OF MR SATO'S MINISTERS. THE QUESTION IS HOW WILL AFFECT THE PARTY'S CHANCES OF BEING RETURNED TO POWER. MR. SATO HIMSELF IS OPTIMISTIC, AND FORECASTS BETWEEN 280 TO 300 SEATS FOR HIS PARTY. HE IS SHOWN IN THE ACCOMPANYING FILM ELECTIONEERING IN THE CITY OF SANO, ABOUT 60 MILES (ABOUT 100 KILOMETRES), NORTH OF TOKYO. ALL OTHER CANDIDATES WERE IN TOKYO.

    THEY ARE: THE LEADER OF THE 141-SEAT JAPAN SOCIALIST PARTY, MR. KOZO SASAKI, WHO HAS REMARKED: "DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF BEING PRO-PEKING;" MR. TAKEHISA TSUJI, HEAD OF NEW GROUP, THE "CLEAN GOVERNMENT PARTY" (KOMEITO), WHICH IS THE POLITICAL ARM OF THE BUDDHIST MASS MOVEMENT SOKA GAKKAI, AND WHICH IS EXPECTED TO HAVE ABOUT 20 SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES OUT OF THE 32 CAMPAIGNING; AND MR SUEHIRO NISHIO, HEAD OF THE SMALL (23-SEATS) MODERATE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST PARTY.

    THE COMMUNIST PARTY, WHICH HAS FOUR SEATS IN THE PRESENT PARLIAMENT, IS FIELDING 123 CANDIDATES, AND IS EXPECTED IN SOME NON-COMMUNIST QUARTERS TO MAKE GAINS. PROPORTIONATELY THE COMMUNISTS HAVE MORE CANDIDATES THAN THE SOCIALISTS, WHO ARE FIELDING 209 -- NOT ENOUGH TO FORM A GOVERNMENT EVEN IF ALL ARE ELECTED.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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