TOKYO: The ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s Tokyo chapter reaffirmed on Monday its plan to support Tokyo Governor KOIKE Yuriko if she announces her bid for a third term.

At a meeting, the LDP Tokyo chapter also decided to have its senior members consider specific ways to back her, at a time when the party is struggling to regain public trust it has lost since the revelation of the creation of slush funds by intraparty factions.

Koike is believed to be determined to run in the Tokyo gubernatorial election on July 7 but is wondering how close she should be with the scandal-tainted LDP during her campaign, people familiar with the matter said.

LDP Tokyo sources said the chapter, which has already decided not to field its own candidate in the election, is considering setting up a group allowed under law to conduct political activities, such as stump speeches and flyer distribution, during the campaign period so it can give Koike low-key support.

In the upcoming Tokyo race, to be kicked off on June 20, Renho, a House of Councillors lawmaker of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, has announced she will run under a banner of “anti-LDP, non-Koike governance.”

Besides the CDP, the Japanese Communist Party and Social Democratic Party have thrown their support behind the popular politician.

JIJI Press