Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike was yesterday projected to win re-election as head of Japan’s influential capital for a third four-year term, according to exit poll results by Japan Broadcasting Corp (NHK).
Yesterday’s vote was also seen as a test for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which supports the first woman to lead the Tokyo city government.
The city of 13.5 million people with outsized political and cultural power, and a budget equaling some nations, is one of Japan’s most influential political posts.
Photo: AP
A record 55 candidates challenged Koike, and one of the top contenders was also a woman — a liberal-leaning former lawmaker who uses only her first name, Renho, and was backed by opposition parties.
Renho was born to a Japanese mother and Taiwanese father.
Minutes after the NHK exit poll projecting her victory, Koike arrived at her campaign headquarters in Tokyo and celebrated by thanking the voters who chose her.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“I believe the voters gave me a mandate for my accomplishment in the past eight years,” Koike said, pledging to push for more reforms and support for Tokyo residents.
“I’m fully aware of my heavy responsibility,” she said. “I will tackle my third term with all my body and soul.”
A win by Koike would be a relief for the LDP, which she has long been affiliated with. The party and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, unofficially backed her campaign.
Renho, running as an independent, but supported by the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Japanese Communist Party, criticized Koike’s connection with the LDP, which has been hit by a widespread slush fund scandal.
A victory for Renho would have been a major setback for Kishida’s chances in the party’s leadership vote in September.
While the two high-profile women gathered national attention, Shinji Ishimaru, a former mayor of Akitakata in Hiroshima Prefecture, was seen to have gained popularity among young voters.
The main issues in the campaign included measures for the economy, disaster resilience for Tokyo and low birth numbers.
Koike’s policies focused on providing subsidies for married parents expecting babies and those raising children.
Renho called for increased support for young people to address their concerns about jobs and financial stability, saying that would help improve prospects for marrying and having families.
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