Koike's new party gains traction ahead of general election: polls

Able is clever. Education reform and childcare plans will be appealing to voters in Japan more than Koike's. conservative party. I thought two more years of Abe but I now think four more years.

 Education reform and childcare plans will be appealing to voters in Japan more than Koike's. conservative party.

Hmm, like the mysterious third arrow? Getting women back into work force? This is more talk,less action. A favorite trope for seasoned BS artists!!

Koike is smart not to run. She can influence party decisions and the direction of what direction to take by leading Tokyo.

Hard to believe that less than one year ago Abe looked untouchable. I get the feeling that the people are sick of the heavy handed approach that Abe has taken, and are anxious for a viable option.

Koike's 2017 party is Abe's 2014 party.

Mineyuki Fukuda, Masaru Wakasa, and Koike herself was a member of the LDP.

And we all know how successful Abe's cabinet and all of these retreads have been...

But please people, tell me why she's so great! She's criticized Abenomics but laid out no plan. Criticized nuclear power but gave no alternative, she's as hawkish as Abe, and she danced with locals on the contaminated new fish market site.

Will vote for Koike, Japan needs some change and not continuation of same policies that have not worked for so many years now. I hope Koike can bring some positive changes and not just deliver statements.

Mona Lisa Rocketlauncher - Fair points, but in the case of nuclear power, no alternative is needed. Japan managed just fine without nuclear power for a few years after 2011, the population is declining and factories are increasingly located overseas so Japan does not need more power. If it does want to reduce reliance on fossil fuel (which it should), other sources can be used - most power is needed on hot summer days, which is exactly when solar power is most effective.

Able is clever. Education reform and childcare plans will be appealing to voters 

Errr, yeah, but this clown has been PM for 5 years now.

Where are his results? What has he actually acheived versus what he said he would deliver? The only thing that stands out in my mind is that he appointed a money printer to head the BOJ, but even that hasn't produced the ostensible purpose it was for - escaping steady prices, errr, sorry, the evil plague of deflation.

It's nice that he can think of an election platform (better than DP, no question), but without any results to show for it, don't be shocked if the electorate does deliver a surprise result for Kibo.

Abe's days are numbered. He is no match for Koike.