Policies for Tokyo Gubernatorial Election

Two main expected candidates for Tokyo gubernatorial election in July simultaneously announced their campaign platforms on June 18. Incumbent Governor, Yuriko Koike, appealed continuation of her policies in these 8 years as the governor, as Renho, former member of the House of Councillors with Constitutional Democratic Party, upheld “seven promises” to change the government. However, they showed only a few differences between them. 

They had their press conferences for announcing their policies in different places at the same time. While Koike had a web conference, accepting only five questions through internet conference system, Renho had a real conference in a room with journalists, spending two times longer than Koike to take questions.

 

Koike called her policies for her third term “Tokyo Great Reform 3.0.” She categorized her policies into three: safe city, diversity and smart city. She raised proactive measures for possible disaster as the policies for safe city. They included preventive measures against natural disaster for high-rise condominiums. She added building shelters against missile attack without detailed explanation for the possibility of armed attack on Tokyo.

 

For “diversity,” Koike stressed necessity of support for families to overcome low birth rate. She proposed financial support for nursery school fee for not only the second and younger children, but the first child in a family. She also guaranteed cheaper rent for families with child.

 

Renho upheld “seven promises” for greater and real reform of Tokyo, including wage hike, rent support for families with child or introducing administrative review to eliminate unnecessary spending. One policy that distinguished Renho from Koike was review of developing plan of Jungu Gaien Park in central Tokyo, to which International Council on Monument and Sites demanded stopping the development.

 

Both candidates have common characteristics. Both Koike and Renho are former female news casters, former lawmakers. One difference is that Koike was affiliated with the Liberal Democratic Party and Renho was with CDP. Renho upholds “anti-LDP and non-Koike.” But as far as looking into their policy, they mainly focus on supporting families with child and young people. Even how Koike does not like it, the race is going to be the contest between the leading and opposition parties in the Diet.

 

The LDP sought to give party support for Koike. It gave it up, however, considering Koike’s reluctancy to accept it. Renho left the CDP, but could not achieve support from Japan Trade Union Confederation (Rengo), because Rengo did not like to support Renho together with Japan Communist Party. Although independent voters always decide the winner of Tokyo gubernatorial election, members of every party will have certain influence on the election.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Amendment of Local Autonomy Law

The House of Representatives started discussion on revision of the Local Autonomy Law, which would vest the national government a power to instruct local government in an emergency. It may change the relationship between the national and local government, which has been recognized as equal. The opposition parties oppose the amendment, arguing that it would give the national government an excessive power.   With the Meiji Restoration, the national government abolished the feudal system, introducing modern governance. However, its autonomy was not sufficient. The governor of each prefecture was appointed by the national government. The local governments subordinated to the national government. It was as late as 2000 when  the Comprehensive Decentralization Law  was enacted and the relationship between the national and local government was defined as equal.   The national government found inconvenience in the relationship between the national and local government, when ...
Read more

Request for Final Nuclear Disposal Site

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry requested Genkai Town, Saga, to accept “literature survey” for building a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste. Genkai is going to answer within this month. If it accepts, it will be the third place to accept that survey, following two places in Hokkaido. Main reason to accept the survey is supposed to be subsidy from the national government.   Japan has no final disposal site. Among all 54 reactors in 17 nuclear power generation plant, 12 reactors of 6 plants are operating. The rest of them are not in operation, some of which are determined to be decommissioned. Used nuclear fuels are stocked in each plant, 　 or have sent to a reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Aomori. There are two plans to stock nuclear wastes in the intermediate facility for disposal, one is already built and another is still in negotiation.   Nuclear Fuel Final Disposal Act in 2000 determines to bury nuclear waste in the underground. Literature survey, ...
Read more

Not A Royal Wedding

The bride called her husband an indispensable existence and their marriage was necessary choice to protect their mind. The groom insisted on his life as only once and his right to be with his loved one. Her father wanted his daughter’s marriage to be celebrated by the people. The people were not sure whether the family was happy as a whole. Is this the traditional Japanese social system that makes no one happy? Mako Komuro, as known as Princess Mako during her life in one of the royal family Akishino, held on Tuesday a press conference with her husband Kei Komuro, right after submitting marriage report to local government. It was something different from ordinary Q&A session, because Mako was afraid of her mental uneasiness brought by some questions not based on truth. So, the event was actually one-sided speech to the reporters. Mako emphasized that the Kei’s decision of studying abroad five years ago had not been his original idea, but a result of her request to establish an over...
Read more