Tokyo votes for governor as it readies for 2020 Olympics

Veteran politician Yuriko Koike was elected governor of Tokyo on July 31, according to media exit polls, becoming the first woman to lead Japan’s capital.

One of Koike’s most important tasks will be to oversee the 2020 Olympics, and and the 2019 Rugby World Cup- an event taking place in Asia for the very first time.

Koike has kept her distance from Abe and supported now-Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba during the LDP leadership election back in September 2012.

Koike served as Environment Minister and briefly Defence Minister, and has been likened to Condoleezza Rice due to her conservative and “hawkish” outlook. Since then Tokyo’s preparations for the 2020 Summer Olympics have been hit by scandals, overspending, administrative fumbles and construction delays.

Masuda, also 64 and backed by Abe’s ruling coalition – which spurned Koike for not seeking its approval before announcing her candidacy – is a veteran administrator who won plaudits as governor of northeastern Iwate for 12 years until 2007.

Yoichi Masuzoe, the former governor, resigned in June after acknowledging exorbitant, though not illegal, spending of taxpayers’ money including for suite hotel rooms and expensive artwork purchases. She will be the first woman to lead the Japanese capital, reported NHK.NHK is predicting her victory based on exit polls. The governor before him had also resigned in disgrace. The Tokyo Olympics logo had to be redesigned after the initial choice was reportedly plagiarized. Among top candidates are former defense minister Yuriko Koike, journalist Shuntaro Torigoe and former rural governor Hiroya Masuda.

“Koike’s strong willingness to reform the Tokyo government and ability to make decisions attracted votes”, said Sadayuki Sakakibara, chairman of Keidanren. He denies the allegations. Official results are expected by Monday. She told supporters: “I hope to be able to speak freely without the shackles of any party, so as to consider a wide range of policies for a new, better Tokyo”. She acknowledged that her being a woman was one way voters were looking for change.

“I would like to review the basis for the budget, so that I can clarify for the eyes of Tokyo residents how much they would have to pay”, Koike said, adding that transparency would be the watchword.