【Shigeo’s Review】
The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election to be held next month is one month away from being announced on the 13th. Each party is positioning the election as a prelude to the Upper House election that will follow the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, and is working to field candidates.
Currently, the LDP is the leading party with 30 seats, followed by the Tokyo Metropolitan People’s First Party, New Komeito, the Japanese Communist Party, the Constitutional Democratic Party, and others.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election is scheduled to be announced on the 13th of next month, and the vote will be held on the 22nd. There are 127 seats up for grabs in this election, and each party is engaged in a fierce battle.
At present, the LDP is the largest party with 30 seats, followed by the Tokyo Metropolitan People’s First Society, the New Komeito, the Japan Communist Party, and the Constitutional Democratic Party. Since this election is not only a metropolitan assembly election but also a prelude to the House of Councillors election in the summer, nationwide attention is focused on the movements of each party.
First, the main focus is on whether the LDP can maintain its position as the number one party despite the headwinds created by the problems surrounding political fund party income. A senior official of the LDP in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly said, “This will be an intensely tough election,” and that the party will carefully explain the issue to its supporters.
This stance is an important process for restoring trust and will have a significant impact on the outcome of the election. On the other hand, it remains to be seen to what extent the tarnished image of the political fund issue will affect the LDP, and this is an election that will test the LDP’s foundation.
Next, the Tomin First no Kai, for which Governor Yuriko Koike serves as a special advisor, lost seats and became the second largest party four years ago, but is aiming to become the number one party again by taking advantage of Governor Koike’s high popularity.
The Tomin First Association won a convincing victory in the 2017 Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election and has been leading the metropolitan government with its momentum, but its approval rating has fluctuated in recent years, and this will be an important battle to restore it to power. The key point is the extent to which Governor Koike’s policies and name recognition will translate into votes.
Komeito is fielding a number of new faces, including new ward assembly members, as several veteran assembly members have retired. The party has set a goal of electing all of them and intends to secure seats in the assembly with its organizational strength and stable support base.
Attention is also focused on whether the three-party coalition of the LDP, the Tokyo Metropolitan People’s First, and Komeito will be able to win a majority, which will directly affect the stability of metropolitan government management.
Meanwhile, the JCP and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) are aiming to boost their presence as opposition parties by bringing criticism of Governor Koike’s metropolitan administration to the forefront.
In particular, they are questioning the use of taxpayer funds, such as projection mapping, and emphasizing policy proposals from the citizens’ perspective. How far these opposition forces can extend their support is also an important focus.
In addition, many new forces that do not currently hold seats in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly are also seeking to bring new wind to the election campaign by fielding a number of candidates.
The “Path of Rebirth” led by Shinji Ishimaru, who made headlines in last year’s gubernatorial election, is attracting particular attention, and the election is a crowded contest involving a variety of political forces.
In addition, the use of social networking services is more active in this election than in the past. Parties and candidates are actively disseminating their policies and personal messages, emphasizing SNS as a means of direct communication with voters.
The extent to which SNS will influence the outcome of the election campaign will be a point to watch closely.
This Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election is not just a local election, but a complex battle involving multiple factors such as political funding issues, the popularity of the governor, and the rise of emerging forces.
The results are likely to vary greatly depending on how each party appeals to voters while consolidating its support base.
In particular, whether the ruling coalition of the LDP, the Tomin First Association, and Komeito can secure a majority will be key to the future of Tokyo politics.
In addition, the opposition parties and emerging forces are also attracting attention and have the potential to change the balance of Tokyo’s overall metropolitan government. The results of this election will also have an impact on the Upper House election in the summer, and thus interest in this election is growing nationwide.
