Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike is about to be re-elected in Sunday’s polls, fueled by public support for her coronavirus management despite a recent surge in infections that has raised concerns about the resurgence of the disease.
The first woman to head the Japanese capital, Koike, 67, is also seen as a potential candidate to succeed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe when his term ends in September 2021. For now, he says he is focused on protecting the lives of the 14 million people. in Tokyo, a megacity with an economy of $ 1 trillion.
“Fighting the coronavirus for Tokyo residents is my first and foremost responsibility,” he said on the eve of the election.
In his online campaign message, Koike pledged to balance disease prevention and the economy under Tokyo’s “new normal”.
Tokyo coronavirus infections began to recover in late June to reach 131 confirmed cases on Saturday, surpassing 100 for the third consecutive day and peaking at two months from the beginning of May. New daily cases have also increased in recent weeks across the country to around 19,700, with 977 deaths.
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Koike’s challengers include popular actor-turned-politician Taro Yamamoto and veteran lawyer Kenji Utsunomiya. Yamamoto wants to cancel the Tokyo Olympics and use the funds to help people affected by the coronavirus crisis, while Utsunomiya, known as Japan’s Bernie Sanders, is calling for better social support for a more inclusive and diverse society.
Results are expected shortly after the polls close on Sunday night. A recent poll from the Mainichi newspaper has Koike leading his challengers by a wide margin.
Among other things, Koike says Japan should have its own version of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He also tried to gain public support for a simpler version of the Tokyo Olympics after the games were postponed to next year due to the pandemic.
Although Koike has not fully followed through on his promises to Tokyo residents to ease congestion on commuter trains, ensure the adequate availability of child and elderly care facilities, and end overwork, even his critics have praised his pandemic management. That is in stark contrast to Abe, who has been criticized for doing too little, too late.
As the pandemic deepened in the spring, Koike has often overshadowed fellow conservative Abe, whose support ratings have plummeted due to his handling of the crisis and its serious impact on the economy, in addition to a series of scandals.
Koike, a former television presenter, is classy and media savvy. She earned the nickname “migratory bird” for jumping from one party to another and forming new alliances, at least seven times, a rarity among Japanese politicians famous for their loyalty to party factions.
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