Synopsis

The 2021 mayoral election in Suttsu, a town in northern Japan, centered on a single, divisive issue between the two candidates: whether to proceed with the initial phase of establishing the town as a long-term repository for nuclear waste. Haruo Kataoka, the incumbent mayor and a strong advocate for the project, secured victory. The outcome suggested that the prospect of government subsidies to revitalize the local economy outweighed residents' safety concerns. However, Kataoka’s win was less de