Exit polls show ally of Japan’s Soko election loss to Yokohama, according to NHK

TOKYO, Aug 22 (Reuters) – An ally of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was due to lose a mayoral race in Yokohama on Sunday, public broadcaster NHK, which cited election polls, in a coup by to the unpopular Prime Minister facing a general election course.

Exit polls signaled a clear victory for opposition-backed public health professor Takeharu Yamanaka, NHK said. The eight-candidate field included politician Hachiro Okonogi, who ran with the support of Suga, as well as incumbent Mayor Fumiko Hayashi. The polls closed at 20:00 local time (1100 GMT).

The projected loss for Okonogi on the prime minister’s turf in southern Tokyo is likely to put more pressure on Suga, which was already on fire due to rising COVID-19 cases and the perception that it has been clumsy in handling. of the pandemic.

Suga’s approval ratings fell below 30% in August, highlighting the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s concerns about its ability to lead the party in a November 28 general election. .

Suga, who took office last September after his predecessor Shinzo Abe stopped citing health problems, is struggling to contain the pandemic, and national daily infections hit a record 25,000 last week.

Although Yokohama is in Suga’s constituency in parliament, a poll conducted by a local newspaper in mid-August found that Okonogi was following Yamanaka, which reflects concerns about the government’s management of the pandemic.

Kanagawa, the prefecture where Yokohama is located, has been in a state of emergency since Aug. 2, but infections have continued to rise. The prefecture registered 2,878 cases on Friday, according to public broadcaster NHK.

Suga’s term as president of the LDP ends in September. He can be re-elected without opposition or he can vote in a party if other candidates appear to challenge him for the job.

(Corrects Sunday’s story to clarify that Okonogi was not a starter)

Report by Sakura Murakami; Edited by Linda Sieg and William Mallard

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