The CDP lost the seat in the 2021 elections by large margins. The CDP candidate was Masahito Nishikawa the former mayor of Asahikawa, by far the biggest city in the constituency. After the death of a young girl caused by bullying[2] and the city being badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic[3] Nishikawa's decision to go into national politics faced heavy criticism and he was seen as avoiding responsibility.[4]