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Campaigning starts for July 5 Tokyo Governor election

Aiming for re-election, Koike, 67, is poised to defend her achievements in her first four-year term.
Aiming for re-election, Koike, 67, is poised to defend her achievements in her first four-year term.
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18 Jun 2020 10:06:20 GMT9
18 Jun 2020 10:06:20 GMT9

TOKYO: The official campaign period for the July 5 Tokyo gubernatorial election kicked off on Thursday, pitting incumbent Governor Yuriko Koike against a spate of challengers.

High on the agenda during the 17-day campaign period until July 4 are the response to the novel coronavirus outbreak and policies on the Tokyo Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, which have been postponed by one year to 2021 due to the epidemic.

A record 22 people including the incumbent filed their candidacies.

Amid the epidemic, candidates got off to unusual election campaigns, avoiding shaking hands with voters and organizing a large-scale indoor rally.

Aiming for re-election, Koike, 67, is poised to defend her achievements in her first four-year term.

Vying to take the governorship of the Japanese capital from Koike are Kenji Utsunomiya, 73, former president of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, Taisuke Ono, 46, former vice governor of Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan, Taro Yamamoto, 45, leader of minor political party Reiwa Shinsengumi, Takashi Tachibana, 52, head of NHK kara Kokumin wo Mamoru To, a party campaigning against the public broadcaster, formally called Japan Broadcasting Corp., and others.

It is the first time since 2011 that an incumbent governor is taking part in a Tokyo gubernatorial election.

The Liberal Democratic Party, the ruling party in national politics, whose candidate lost out to Koike in the previous Tokyo gubernatorial election, will not back any candidate in a bid to avoid conflict with Koike's bloc.

But Toshihiro Nikai, secretary-general of the LDP, headed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said he will "fully support" Koike. Komeito, the LDP's coalition partner in national politics, also effectively supports her.

Opposition parties in national politics could not put up a unified candidate.

The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party back Utsunomiya, while the Democratic Party for the People has left the decision up to individual members. Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) supports Ono.

Koike is expected to campaign on a platform of preparing for a second wave of coronavirus infections, including the creation of a Tokyo version of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and simplifying the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

In an online address on Thursday, Koike said she is preparing to deal with the possible second wave while pledging to push forward with administrative, fiscal and structural reforms from a "Tokyoites first" perspective.

Koike will prioritize her official duties and does not plan to hold campaign speeches on the street.

Utsunomiya is vowing to improve medical and social welfare services, and make school lunches free. Addressing an audience in front of the Tokyo metropolitan government building in Shinjuku Ward, Utsunomiya said he will prioritize compensating those who have been impacted by business suspensions amid the coronavirus crisis.

"Many people have lost their jobs and homes because of business closure requests by the central and metropolitan governments," he said. Some have even taken their own lives due to economic difficulties reflecting the coronavirus crisis, he added.

Yamamoto is seeking to cancel the Olympics and Paralympics, and distribute 100,000 yen to all Tokyo citizens by raising funds through fresh metropolitan government bonds.

"I'll distribute 100,000 yen again," following the central government's program of granting the same amount of benefits to each resident of the country as a coronavirus rescue measure, he said in a speech in front of Shinjuku Station. "I'll put my full effort into raising the standards of people's lives so that they won't suffer."

Ono is calling for the balancing of coronavirus prevention measures and economic activity.

He slammed Koike's four-year reign in a speech in the Kabukicho entertainment district in Shinjuku Ward, saying, "She took Tokyo by storm four years ago, but she has produced very few results."

"I'm the only one who's ready to take on the job (of Tokyo governor) and produce quick results," he said, touting his experience in regional administration at the Kumamoto prefectural government.

Tachibana said in a speech near the metropolitan government building that he will protect workers in the restaurant and event industries hit hard by business suspension requests spurred by the epidemic.

Tokyo remains on high alert over the epidemic as it has continued to see more than 10 new infection cases a day recently. The candidates will have to conduct campaign activities while taking infection prevention measures.

As of Wednesday, 11,468,938 residents were registered as eligible voters, according to the election board of the metropolitan government.

JIJI Press

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