On July 5, DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada issued the following statement.

Today, the Shizuoka gubernatorial election took place and Heita Kawakatsu, the candidate backed by the DPJ and other opposition parties, was elected. We would like to express our appreciation to all the residents of Shizuoka prefecture who gave their support, as well as the many people who gave their assistance during the campaign.

The late start to his campaign made the fight an undeniably tough one, but candidate Kawakatsu’s energetic campaign and vow to whip up a wind in Shizuoka toward the creation of a new nation, increases his support day by day, and he was able to catch up with and then overtake the LDP/Komeito-backed candidate.

During this election campaign, we received a great deal of encouragement, we were once more made aware of the increase in the number of voices among the electorate calling for a change in politics and a change in Japan, as well as the great expectations invested in the DPJ, and this has served to strengthen our resolve.

The DPJ will build on the impetus of this second successive victory following the Chiba City mayoral election, and will respond to the expectations of the Japanese people, and repeat the success of this victory in the Tokyo Metropolitan election.

We will continue to exert all our strength to bring about a change of government at the general election, and realise a politics that puts people’s lives first. Thank you very much for your support.