Incumbent Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike was reelected in Sunday's gubernatorial election with the effective backing of the ruling party, signaling that voters have positively evaluated her policies centered on quality of life and political competence over the past eight years.
Koike, 71, secured a third consecutive four-year term, defeating Shinji Ishimaru, a 41-year-old social media-savvy former mayor from Hiroshima Prefecture, who closely contested second place with Renho, a 56-year-old former lawmaker backed by the main opposition party.
The election was initially expected to be a neck-and-neck race between Koike and Renho, both former TV anchors. However, Ishimaru, relatively unknown in Tokyo before the official campaign began, significantly boosted his profile by expanding his election activities through social media.
Ishimaru apparently garnered popularity from voters with no particular party affiliation as a recent political funds scandal eroded trust in politics, but it was not enough to catch up with Koike. After the polls closed, he spoke before a group of supporters and said, "I did all I could."
Sunday's election was closely watched as the outcome could affect the future course of national politics, with the Liberal Democratic Party, led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, under heavy scrutiny amid the slush funds scandal revealed late last year.
The race was also seen as a proxy war between national parties as the conservative incumbent was challenged by the left-leaning opposition politician, while the election was criticized for prioritizing popularity over policies due largely to swing voters.
In 2024, a record 56 people, including former Air Self-Defense Force chief Toshio Tamogami, 75, threw their hats into the ring. According to political pundits, many candidates entered the race solely to gain fame through campaign broadcasts and posters.
Some candidates in Tokyo's gubernatorial race were criticized for making a mockery of the electoral process by posting sexually explicit posters or covering large parts of official campaigning boards with their materials, with some groups obstructing the election campaigns of others.
Koike told her supporters on Sunday, "I received threats and heckling. It was the toughest election campaign I have ever experienced," emphasizing the necessity of amending legislation related to the electoral system.
All incumbents in past Tokyo gubernatorial elections who sought reelection have gone on to win, but this year's race sparked enthusiasm among voters as they were able to choose from a diverse range of candidates.
After the media reported her loss, Renho said, "I was able to express my thoughts from the bottom of my heart thanks to the support of many people, and I did everything I could," adding that Sunday's result came "down to my lack of ability."
The governor of Japan's capital, home to around 14 million people, controls an annual budget of more than 16 trillion yen ($100 billion), nearly equivalent to the national spending of Sweden or the Czech Republic.
Koike became the first female Tokyo governor in 2016. The former LDP lawmaker was also Japan's first female defense minister, while Renho was a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan before running in the gubernatorial election.
The LDP did not field its own candidate, as support for the ruling party has plummeted to its lowest levels since it returned to power in 2012 after a brief period in opposition. It decided to back Koike along with its junior coalition partner, the Komeito party.
Yuko Obuchi, the LDP's election campaign chief, said Koike's victory may "provide a big advantage in upcoming elections, but restoring trust in politics is still a work in progress," with another party lawmaker saying, "This is not a triumph for the LDP."
Renho who served as minister in charge of administrative reform under the three-year rule of the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan from 2009, was backed by the CDPJ, the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party.
A former banker, Ishimaru has attracted attention with his YouTube posts featuring fierce exchanges with municipal assembly members. He has broadened his support base among the younger generation and gathered thousands of volunteers for his campaign.
On the policy front, Koike has touted assistance measures for raising children, such as cash handout programs, as one of her achievements during her eight years in office. Critics, however, argue that she has not fulfilled most of her pledges from previous races.
In the latest election, Koike promised to concentrate primarily on supporting families and child-rearing, while Renho committed to enhancing policies to benefit those in the younger generation who wish to have children.
Renho contended that a core issue would be how to handle the controversial redevelopment of the Meiji Jingu Gaien district, which would involve demolishing two historic sports venues and tearing down hundreds of trees. Koike has greenlit the project.
Ishimaru, meanwhile, pitched himself as a candidate "well versed in economic theories and practices," vowing to hand out 1 million yen to student council presidents of public high schools in Tokyo.
Asked about his future ambitions, he told reporters, "One option is to run" in a House of Representatives election "from the Hiroshima No. 1 district, which is Prime Minister Kishida's constituency," indicating the possibility of stepping into the national political arena.
Voter turnout in Sunday's gubernatorial election was 60.62 percent, up from 55.00 percent in the 2020 race, the Tokyo metropolitan election management committee said.
© KYODO
29 Comments
Yotomaya
@wallace
I didn't know about this specific proposal but I know it's being brought up (and, in some municipalities, enacted). However, never by the LDP as their hard-line supporters would definitely not approve.
spinningplates
‘Out with the Old! In with the….oh #%$* it, it’s too hot.’
oyatoi
Her nationality drama a few years ago surely didn’t help. Even though she’s supposed to have renounced her Taiwanese passport, in the public mind she’s forever tainted by the perception that she has divided allegiances. It matters not one jot that both Koike and Ishimaru are ‘out of towners’; they’re qualified and she’s not in the way that really counts.
wallace
Yotomaya
The Komeito Party tried to introduce a bill enabling foreign residents to vote in the city and local elections.
masterblaster
There goes the baseball stadium.
Yotomaya
@wallace
Same here. We choose candidates together with my partner. And it's quite easy as you're usually left with very few choices once you've ruled out all unhinged nationalists and xenophobes.
The system is made in a way in a way the LDP will win no matter what (Koike isn't a member anymore but her activities and affiliations suggest she might as well still be). And non-Japanese citizens won't get the right to vote as long as they're in power.
wallace
Yotomaya
@wallace
Since I don't have any vote anywhere there is nothing I change about it. My Japanese partner has never voted for the LDP in her life.
Yotomaya
@wallace
In an ideal world not, but being head of the capital, largest metropolis or any other significant constituency has nationwide repercussions (e.g. Boris Johnson). She might want to take it further and become the first female PM, skillfully hiding behind her gender and drawing attention away from her regressive actions. This would be much less likely if she were the mayor of, say, Hamamatsu.
DoubleCracker
Too bad Renho drained votes away from Ishimaru,
wallace
Shouldn't be much of a concern to anyone not living in Tokyo.
Chuck
Growing up is a long, slow, and for some people, painful process.
TokyoLiving
https://giphy.com/gifs/LOWLIVES-i-dont-like-you-idontlikeyou-lowlives-Wiy6mt9DiYJe3r1YnZ
LOOOOOOL
TokyoLiving
Excellent, congratulations Lady Koike !!..
A win for Tokyo..
Angus McGillicuddy
The news you read is here:
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/election/20240707-197252/
Where it says that was as of 6pm, when the polls were still open.
collegepark30349
That's quite the spin. I think is has more to do with Renho and Ishimaru splitting the protest vote.
itsonlyrocknroll
In many respects J economy has been running on empty since 2023, Japan’s GDP was surpassed by that of Germany. dropping to the world’s fourth-largest economy.
Many economists’ point to GDP being an after effect, influenced by exchange rates.
Japanese yen has depreciated against the U.S. dollar by close to 30% since 2014, it would follow GDP calculation would shrink accordingly
However, the underlying data and numbers are far worst, for some time now J GDP only rose around 10 percent, while German GDP has doubled.
This points to labour productivity, Japan is now 30th in the 38 OECD countries from numbers, beginning 2023, lowest of G-7 countries.
Japan’s productivity is 60 percent of Germany’s, number two United States.
A reason why Germany’s GDP caught up and pasted Japan whilst having a population only two-thirds of Japan’s.
Tokyo Gov Koike re-election is a taste of what’s to come, a political economic ground hod day.
Tokyo Gov Koike time and again promises and pledges have amounted to nothing zero, and there is no reason to believe this 3nd term will amount to anything different.
The appalling waste taxpayers money on an Olympic games, the continuing lack of childcare provision, Koike promises for enhancing woman role within her government.
The continuing depopulation.
On the policy front, Koike has touted assistance measures for raising children, such as cash handout programs, as one of her achievements during her eight years in office. Critics, however, argue that she has not fulfilled most of her pledges from previous races.
In the latest election, Koike promised to concentrate primarily on supporting families and child-rearing, while Renho committed to enhancing policies to benefit those in the younger generation who wish to have children.
Tokyo Gov Koike has had eight years plus to implement polices for supporting families , and achieved nothing
Baradzed
The voting system in Tokyo promotes "stability." In reality, the majority of the population either doesn't care or wants Koike out. However, these votes are spread across dozens of alternatives. If there were a second poll with the top two winners from the first voting, Koike's chances would be slim.
Quo Primum
*She didn't even finish runner-up
(JT, it would be nice if you allowed people to edit their comments.)
Quo Primum
Turns out that, despite the media billing this as a "contest between women," Renho wasn't much of a challenger.
She didn't even runner-up to Koike; a man did.
The media's ideological "spin" on things is funny to watch sometimes. Truly amusing.
Speed
The same old same old.
dan
More of the same uselessness then.
DaDude
Actually this is a trend of late throughout Japan. In both the city I live in and town I work in, the mayor comes from a different part of Japan presumably to use their position as a springboard. The past mayors went on to the prefectural government. Both mayors are in their mid-30s with their campaign focused on helping young families.
tamanegi
@falseflagsteve What a horrible and derogatory comment about Governor Koike regardless of your politics.
kohakuebisu
The story sounds like it is correct. NHK is saying the same. Koike got nearly 3 million votes. 60% is slightly higher than the UK general election this week, so well done people of Tokyo for participating.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20240707/k10014502181000.html
dagon
These are the real winners and accurate expression of the popular tide.
Japanese elections, and American ones for that matter, are not a reflection of the popular will and have been gerrymandered, propagandized and monopolized out of all democratic form.
Koike, with her massive failures on COVID and the Olympics is a good representative of LDP failing forward.
sakurasuki
In order to solve many challenges that Japan currently face, Japan need to change. Unlike UK or even France, so far nothing has been changed in Japan. Still believe anything will be changed in Japan anytime soon?
60.62%? In other news, they said only 34.12% which make sense 60% is too high for Japanese.
Most Japanese people, just don't vote.
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/election/20240707-197252/
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20240707/k10014503681000.html
Yubaru
This should be an issue that gets dealt with by all sides.
MarkX
I guess Ishimaru will use this as a spring board to national politics, although I wonder where he will end up next. I still find it strange that a complete outsider with nothing to do with Tokyo can come in and get so many votes. Koike has another 4 years, and I hope they will be her last. The big loser was Renho, I thought the race would be much tighter, and I don't know where she goes from here. Maybe back to national politics, but she is now kind of wounded.
falseflagsteve
Not much to say Personally but if Satan came back in female form I know what he would look like