Opposition Lawmaker Renho to Run for Tokyo Governor

Jiji Press

11:05 JST, May 27, 2024

Tokyo, May 27 (Jiji Press) — Renho, a 56-year-old lawmaker from the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, plans to run in the July 7 Tokyo gubernatorial election, party sources said Monday.

Renho, one of the lawmakers representing the Tokyo constituency of the House of Councillors, was first elected to the upper chamber of the Japanese parliament in 2004 from the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan and is currently in her fourth term. She previously served as administrative reform minister and chief of the former Democratic Party, the successor to the DPJ.

Incumbent Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is likely to vie for a third term as leader of Japan’s capital and is expected to receive the backing of the country’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, Komeito.

Koike is in a cooperative relationship with Komeito in the Tokyo metropolitan assembly.

The official campaign period for the Tokyo gubernatorial election is set to start June 20.