TOKYO (AP) — Voters in Tokyo voted Sunday to decide whether to re-elect the conservatives Yuriko Koike as governor of Japan’s influential capital for a third four-year term.
The vote was also seen as a test for the prime minister Fumio KishidaThe governing party, which supports the incumbent, the first woman to lead the Tokyo city government.
Tokyo, a city of 13.5 million inhabitants with enormous political and cultural power and a budget equal to that of some countries, is one of the most influential political posts in Japan.
A record 55 candidates challenged Koike, and one of the leading candidates was also a woman – a liberal-leaning former lawmaker who uses only her first name, Renho, and was supported by opposition parties.
A victory for Koike would be a relief to Kishia’s ruling conservative party, with which she has long been affiliated. Kishida’s Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, unofficially supported 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 ties to Kishida’s party, which has been hit by a widespread slush fund scandal. A Renho victory would be a major setback to Kishida’s chances in the ruling party leadership vote in September.
While the two high-profile women attracted national attention, Shinji Ishimaru, former mayor of Akitakata city in Hiroshima, gained popularity among young voters.
The campaign’s main issues included measures for the economy, disaster resilience in Tokyo and low birth numbers. When Japan’s national fertility rate fell to an all-time low of 1.2 per woman last year, Tokyo’s rate of 0.99 was the lowest in the country.
Koike’s policies focused on providing subsidies for married parents expecting children and those raising children. Renho called for greater support for young people to address their concerns about jobs and financial stability, arguing that this would help improve prospects for marriage and starting a family.
Another focus of attention was the controversial reconstruction of Tokyo’s beloved Jingu Gaien park area, which Koike approved but later faced criticism for its lack of transparency and suspected environmental impact.
Koike, a stylish and media-savvy former TV announcer, was first elected to parliament in 1992 at the age of 40. She served in several senior Cabinet roles, including environment and defense ministers, as part of the former Liberal Democrat Party.
Renho, known for asking tough questions in parliament, was born to a Japanese mother and Taiwanese father and does not use her surname. A former model and news presenter, she was elected to parliament in 2004 and served as minister of administrative reform in the government led by the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan.
