(VOVworld) – Official campaigning kicked off Friday for 41 prefectures' and 17 major cities' assemblies across Japan, part of the quadrennial unified local elections.

Campaign staff put up posters for candidates in local assembly elections in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Friday.(Photo: Yomiuri Shimbun)

More than 3,000 people filed their candidacy for a total of 2,284 assembly seats in 41 prefectures, 379 of them are women. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has increased its candidates by 75 to over 1,300. Komeito, its junior partner in the ruling coalition, has 169 candidates. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Japan just nominated 345 candidates, decreasing 226. After the deadline of candidacy, 501 candidates have won their seats unopposed, 21.9 percent of the total number of seats.

This year, voters will go to the polls on April 12, the same day gubernatorial elections will be held in 10 prefectures.