Victory of Jeanne d’Arc

A conservative woman candidate concurred the gubernatorial race of Tokyo on Sunday. Former Minister of Defense, Yuriko Koike, defeated two other male candidates with firm support from major parties, Hiroya Masuda with recommendation of Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, and Shuntaro Torigoe with support of Democratic Party, Japan Communist Party, Social Democratic Party and People’s Life Party. Koike will take on a number of issues that the capital of Japan embraces.

After resignation of former Governor Yoichi Masuzoe with unusually miserable money scandal, Koike announced her candidacy, being ahead of others, with request for support from LDP. LDP was reluctant in raising her, because she did not wait for official decision of LDP Tokyo Branch. Embracing antagonism against Koike, LDP picked Masuda, former Governor of Iwate and Minister of Internal Affairs, for its own candidate. Looking at the divided race in the leading parties, the opposite parties got together for Torigoe with a hope of maneuver. The nature of the race accordingly turned to be a small independent woman facing great enemies, like Jeanne d’Arc.

Koike attracted attention of voters with a strategy called “theater effect,” which was bringing a story in the race and let the candidates play roles in a drama. Dismissing existing parties with traditional value or Local Assembly of Tokyo controlled by a few old members, Koike showed herself as a leader for defeating old Japanese politics. She required her supporters to bring something green for enhancing her environmentally conscious image. That strategy was highly successful with voters gathering around her wearing green clothes or holding spinach, broccoli or anything else green.

Masuda could not successful in selling his policy or even his name. As a former governor of Iwate, he was known as a politician who argued distribution of interest of urban area. For the people in Tokyo, Masuda looked like a representative of LDP that was promoting local revitalization.

As a journalist or a sharp critic against Shinzo Abe administration, Torigoe focused too much on national issues like constitutional amendment or Abenomics to enjoy broad support beyond party line. Report of weekly magazine that revealed his inappropriate relationship with woman student damaged his candidacy.

Koike has many things to do in her term. Tokyo Olympic 2020 has been criticized as too expensive to be affordable for Tokyo. There are a number of mothers who are waiting for vacant slot of nursery facilities to leave their children for their working time. Preparedness for possible great earthquake underground of Tokyo also matters. The people will closely watch her ability to implement what she promised in the campaign.