Wakayama gubernatorial election to be announced on the 15th - the issue of whether to continue former governor Kishimoto's policies is at stake (Kyodo News)

The Wakayama Prefectural gubernatorial election following the death of former governor Shuhei Kishimoto will be announced on the 15th. Two candidates, both newcomers, are the independent former vice governor Izumi Miyazaki (66) (endorsed by the LDP, CDP, Citizens, and Komeito), and the prefectural vice-chairwoman Michiko Matsuzaka (68) of the Communist Party. The debate is over whether to continue the course of the late governor Shuhei Kishimoto.