Key Facts: Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Election in Hachioji Constituency
The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, scheduled for June 22, 2025, with the official campaign period beginning on June 13, is approaching. In the Hachioji constituency, 10 candidates have declared their intention to run for five available seats, according to reports as of May 17, 2025.
Incumbent Candidates
Five incumbents are seeking re-election:
– Kunihiro Higashimura (63, Komeito): Running for his seventh term, Higashimura emphasizes his long-standing contributions, including efforts to establish the Airport Liner connecting Haneda Airport and Hachioji, and the removal of the toll booth at the Eifuku Interchange on the Metropolitan Expressway.
– Yukiko Aoyagi (46, Japanese Communist Party): Aiming for a second term, Aoyagi highlights achievements such as free school lunches and reduced Silver Pass fees. Her campaign focuses on expanding community bus services, further reducing education costs, and lowering National Health Insurance taxes.
– Yoshihiro Ito (56, Liberal Democratic Party): Seeking a third term, Ito reflects on his eight years of service and prioritizes enhanced disaster prevention and public safety measures. He envisions leveraging Hachioji’s natural and industrial resources to improve the city.
– Takashi Suyama (44, Independent): Formerly with the Constitutional Democratic Party, Suyama is pursuing a second term as an independent. He emphasizes his role in enacting the Tokyo Metropolitan Ordinance on Information and Communication for Persons with Disabilities and advocates for economic policies to improve residents’ livelihoods.
– Yasuhiko Takita (42, Independent): Re-elected in a by-election last year, Takita focuses on strengthening public transportation and ensuring the equitable distribution of Tokyo’s increased tax revenue to the Tama region. He also prioritizes restoring political ethics.
Other Candidates
- Minoru Morozumi (63, Tokyoites First Party): A former two-term assembly member, Morozumi aims to promote policies for child-rearing support and caregiver assistance, building on his previous mayoral campaign platform.
- Takahiro Baba (46, Liberal Democratic Party): A former Hachioji city councilor with 14 years of experience, Baba proposes the Hachioji Special Zone concept, which includes initiatives like education and medical zones, startup support, and digital administration reforms.
- Yu Hosogai (32, Constitutional Democratic Party): Currently a councilor in Meguro Ward, Hosogai seeks to enhance public transportation, support telework, and address rising living costs in his hometown of Hachioji.
- Kaoru Sunami (63, Path of Renewal): Drawing from personal experiences of overcoming economic hardship, Sunami advocates for educational reforms and efficient governance to create a society where hard work is rewarded.
- Sayuri Yokura (40, Sanseito): After a decade in the U.S., Yokura returned to Japan in 2020. Her platform includes promoting preventive healthcare, environmental conservation, and agricultural revitalization.
The Hachioji constituency has 472,053 registered voters as of March 2025. In the previous election, 10 candidates competed for five seats, with a voter turnout of 42.94%.
Summary: Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Election in Hachioji Constituency
The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election for the Hachioji constituency is set for June 22, 2025, with the campaign period beginning on June 13. Ten candidates, including five incumbents, one former assembly member, and four newcomers, are competing for five seats.
Incumbents include Kunihiro Higashimura (Komeito), Yukiko Aoyagi (Japanese Communist Party), Yoshihiro Ito (Liberal Democratic Party), Takashi Suyama (Independent), and Yasuhiko Takita (Independent). Their platforms focus on issues such as public transportation, disaster prevention, education cost reduction, and equitable tax revenue distribution.
Among the challengers, Minoru Morozumi (Tokyoites First Party) emphasizes child-rearing and caregiver support, while Takahiro Baba (Liberal Democratic Party) proposes the Hachioji Special Zone concept. Yu Hosogai (Constitutional Democratic Party) prioritizes public transportation and telework support, Kaoru Sunami (Path of Renewal) advocates for educational reforms, and Sayuri Yokura (Sanseito) focuses on preventive healthcare and environmental conservation.
As of March 2025, the constituency has 472,053 registered voters. In the 2021 election, 10 candidates competed for five seats, with a voter turnout of 42.94%.
