Ruling LDP official in western Japan 'disappointed' that five out of six election candidates are women

MATSUE – The general secretary of the western Japan branch of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) commented at a meeting here on Oct. 21: “I find it a little disappointing that this time five out of six candidates running in Shimane Prefecture are women.” “

In the Oct. 27 House of Representatives election, Shimane Prefectural District No. 1 has three women running, including an LDP candidate, while two women are running for opposition parties against a male LDP candidate in the prefecture's No. 2 Constituency. Commenting on the abundance of female candidates in the prefecture, Shigeru Sonoyama, general secretary of the LDP prefectural chapter and member of the prefectural assembly, said, “I believe that this is a sign that women are wanted, not only by my family, but also.” by society as a whole.”

Sonoyama made the comments toward the end of the meeting, where Yoshiko Ishiba, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's wife, gave a speech.

After the conference, Sonoyama told the Mainichi Shimbun: “Politics, social activities and other things were done by men, but that is no longer the case. I meant that it was deeply moving.”

(Japanese original by Hayato Matsubara, Matsue Bureau)