In the Gifu electoral district for the House of Councillors election (1 seat up for grabs), Atsuko Wakai (53), a newcomer from the Liberal Democratic Party, has won her first term.
Wakai, a three-term Gifu Prefectural Assembly member, ran for the House of Councillors election. She is a former world champion in karate.
She campaigned on organizational strategies and advocated for regional revitalization.
In the Gifu electoral district, incumbent Yasumasa Ohno was indicted in January last year for violating the Political Funds Control Act in connection with a factional fundraising party within the LDP.
Ohno left the LDP to run as an independent but announced he would “not run” just before the official announcement of the House of Councillors election.
