Tokyo governor's party heads for big win in city election
TOKYO (AP) — The new party of the Japanese capital's populist governor appeared headed for a landslide victory Sunday over Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's scandal-laden ruling party in a closely watched Tokyo assembly election that could alter national politics.
Gov. Yuriko Koike's Tomin First no Kai, or Tokyoites First party, was projected to win up to 50 of the 127 assembly seats, or all of the candidates the party fielded, Japanese television stations reported Sunday evening after the voting ended.
A former TV newscaster, Koike became Tokyo's first female leader last summer and earned a reformist image after repeatedly clashing with the male-dominated city government.
Most recently, Defense Minister Tomomi Inada was grilled over her questionable remark at an election rally for a local LDP candidate when she asked for support from her ministry and the Self-Defense Force, which was seen as violating laws stipulating neutrality of civil servants and the military.