Boost for LDP as exit polls show incumbent Tokyo governor winning a third term

Opposition candidate’s disappointing showing also a good result for ruling party

- Walter Sim

TOKYO Incumbent Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike won a third straight term on July 7 to lead one of the world's largest cities, in a victory that will bring relief to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

The 71-year-old, who was first elected as Tokyo's first female governor in 2016, emerged the runaway winner with more than 40 per cent of the ballots cast, according to an exit poll by public broadcaster NHK seconds after ballot boxes closed at 8pm local time. Final results are expected on July 8.

Ms Koike's victory "is a great boost for us in upcoming elections", said Ms Yuko Obuchi, the LDP's election strategy committee chief. The powerful Lower House of the Diet must be dissolved by October 2025 for elections, while the next polls for the fixed-term Upper House will be in July 2025.

"But at the same time, I feel that restoring trust in politics is still a work in progress," she added.

The results were surprising in how the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) failed to capitalise on national unhappiness with the LDP and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, whose support has tanked over the rising cost of living and a political slush fund scandal.

The CDP came into the July 7 election on a victory streak, having ousted LDP incumbents in other local polls and national by-elections.

Ms Koike, the conservative former defence and environment minister, quit the LDP on acrimonious terms in 2016 but has since largely reconciled with the party. She was stealthily supported by the LDP in her re-election campaign, having rejected overt backing over concerns that it would backfire on her.