Koike looks set to be re-elected Tokyo governor even as coronavirus cases rise

I'll go for Taro Yamamoto.

if she's re-elected Tokyo citizens must be sleeping

Koike. No doubt. The only politician with backbone, character and intelligence who took on the LDP and won.

She has proven to be head and shoulders above the rest. I do not always agree with her policies and decisions and her stand in the foreigners in Japan discussions. The only one to match her intelligence and to stop her becoming a future PM is Suda San but he is an LDP apparatchik.

Congrats to her!

The only politician with backbone

So much backbone, she resisted doing anything to combat the virus until it was 100% clear the Olympics would not go ahead this year. Yeah, plenty of spine. We know where the lives of people lie in her list of priorities.

Nice propaganda piece.

When some people read that so and so is set to win an election, they don’t bother to vote. These kinds of stories are irresponsible journalism.

Congratulations Yuriko Koik!

Koike will cling to the second term in a landslide victory as highly opportunistic bandwagon into the her camp has been observed among major rival groups namely the LDP Tokyo branch.

Nice propaganda piece.

When some people read that so and so is set to win an election, they don’t bother to vote. These kinds of stories are irresponsible journalism.

Yes and No. Yes, fair and prudence should be kept in media reporting even though I assume that they already have some critical info via exit poll inquiries underway on early voting prior to the election day tomorrow.

And No, a propaganda attempt if any could go counter-productive, away from originally intended. As for the current election, the bandwagoning is taking an effect while the voting turnout is likely to rise.

Good for her, PM next

Japan needs more women like her, it's a bout time.

Excellent

And once the Olympics were cancelled, she woke up for Corona. Once questioned by a journalist about the relationship between the cancellation of Olympics and sudden rise in Corona cases, she did not even bother to answer the questions.

And started to ask Tokyo residents to refrain going out on the weekend. Now the number of cases is similar but she will refrain asking anything until the election is over.

She did a lot for sure but also has her own agenda

Nice bi-partisan reporting there from the media...

Why even hold elections?

Could it be that the media is a big part of the cronyism? Noooo way right?

Not at all surprising. None of her "competitors" stand out enough.

Although her recent decisions have been pretty idiotic, like all these social distancing guidelines which are just designed to look good more than actually preventing the spread of Corona, and not slapping fines on businesses that ignore them. She's probably the least incompetent of the lot. Which is what we seem to look for in leaders these days...

Get rid of this ugly graphic. The election is tomorrow. Stop being a hypocrite and saying she won.

Koike's party, the Jimintou, is a CIA creation, like all other major parties, and Japan is not a democracy. Just do some research on Kodama Yoshio, the class A war criminal turned CIA who is at the genesis of this never losing party. One needs to be a serious fool to think that voting makes a difference, especially in Japan. Voting for these crooks is doing disservice to Japan's future and potential.

@ken wyatt She's probably the least incompetent of the lot. Which is what we seem to look for in leaders these days...

Sad but true.

She owes the Egyptian government for her 'Degree Validation', for settling the doubts and rumours about her Cairo University study back in 1976, or maybe they owed Japan for all their aid?

Koike, 67, often floated as a potential prime minister, won plaudits from the public for her straight-talking approach to the pandemic 

If talking straight talking rather taking action was the criteria to choose a leader then we are doomed. No wonder quality leadership is a rarity around the world.

Just remember’ Stay Home’

She’s a joke!

Japan has not seen the explosive outbreak of the virus suffered elsewhere

Is the writer of this article really believe in what they write or there is a regulation to fit the above in every covid-19 narrative.

I guess the more it is said, the more people believe.

Good for her, PM next

People keep saying this, but the chance of Koike, well into her 70s, gaining leadership of the LDP - and thus the Prime Ministership - is a pipe dream. The notion of her running independent of the LDP and gaining control of 233 seats nationwide to form government - after her disaster in 2017 (winning just 2 seats out of 235 contested) is even more laughable.

Koike will NEVER be PM. Put your fantasies to rest, guys.

Sad to know that people in the capital will re-elect that corrupt lady. I'd vote for Hiratsuka, he is the only brave enough to go against the insane current narrative.

Until the Olympics were cancelled, she didn’t care. It seems voters are that stupid

Sorry postponed

Oh little pond, why do you desert us?

Oh No!

she,s going to be re-elected ... you guys have a problem with anticipating the ( obvious ) results ? ... you know when there,s a game between two teams and one of the teams is a lot stronger and everybody knows that team is gonna win, but we still need to have a match ...

I'm not a one issue person, but totally gay gokai supports Koike because she works with "Straight Allies", a group that supports LGBTQ in the workplace. At the same time, PM Abe's wife rode in a float in the Pride Parade with some drag queens, but I am very uncertain about my support for Abe.

None of you can vote so what do you care?

Yuriko Koike is on a mission to change Japan, where, she says, "women are absent when important decisions are made."

I am for Koike.

you know when there,s a game between two teams and one of the teams is a lot stronger and everybody knows that team is gonna win, but we still need to have a match ...

Difference is that spectators don’t vote for a desired outcome of a game. Elections are not sport.