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.

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