TOKYO – Tokyo’s Governor Yuriko Koike announced on June 12 that she will run for a third consecutive term as leader of the Japanese capital, setting up an unprecedented race between two women for one of the highest-profile positions in the country’s politics.
Ms. Koike made the announcement during a metropolitan assembly meeting, just over a week before official campaigning begins for the July 7 vote. She emphasized Tokyo’s progress under her leadership in addressing significant issues such as the falling birthrate, the advancement of women, and digitalisation.
“We must not stop now the strong progress toward a sustainable society, which can only be achieved through the bold reform of Tokyo,” she stated. “The people of Tokyo come first, and I want to make Tokyo a better place for the people of Tokyo.”
Her decision follows the candidacy of opposition Constitutional Democratic Party lawmaker Renho Saito, who declared her intention to run in May. Ms. Saito aims to “reset” Tokyo politics and challenge Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s struggling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
A victory for Ms. Koike would likely be a relief for the ruling party, of which she was previously a member. Conversely, a loss to the opposition would further highlight Mr. Kishida’s challenges, as his Cabinet’s support hit a new low in a major poll over the weekend.
Ms. Koike, the first woman to lead Tokyo’s 14 million-strong population, is renowned for breaking multiple glass ceilings in Japanese politics. She was also the first woman to run for the leadership of the LDP.
After resigning her parliamentary seat, she launched her first successful gubernatorial campaign in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020, guiding Tokyo through the Covid-19 pandemic and hosting the Summer Olympics. However, she has faced difficulties in enhancing Tokyo’s status as a global financial hub and addressing its low fertility rate, with her latest initiative being a dating app to encourage marriage among young people.
On June 12, Ms. Koike remarked that her efforts to combat the low fertility rate “have even moved the national government to take action.”
Ms. Renho, known for her scrutiny of wasteful public spending and her combative parliamentary style, served in various ministerial roles during the 2009 to 2012 administration of the now-defunct Democratic Party. She became the party leader in 2016 but stepped down the following year after a local election defeat. Both women, former TV presenters, are the most recognized candidates in what domestic media predict will be a field of over 20 candidates.