Distance between Koike and the LDP July 9, 10:59

The Tokyo Governor's election ended in the overwhelming victory of Governor Yuriko Koike. In fact, on the same day, there was an election in which each party paid attention as "more interesting than the election of governors." The Liberal Democratic Party directly confronts the local political party, Tomin First, which Koike launched. Where is the relationship between the entangled and twisted Koike and the LDP going?
(Takashi Kubo, Masataka Uzawa, Takuya Sakurada, Takahiro Naito)

Conflict or harmony

The stage is in Kita Ward, Tokyo. This is a by-election for Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly members.
Why was the dispute of only one seat attracting attention? Let me briefly explain the background.

Elections for members of the metropolitan assembly three years ago (capacity 127). The Tomin First Party suddenly became the first party, and the LDP was defeated.

At the time of the election of the governor, the LDP Toren, who was in conflict with Koike, showed a strong commitment to the establishment of its own candidate, but the second party secretary general of the party headquarters waved a flag of support.

In the end, the standing was abandoned and it was not the composition of the confrontation. Will the two parties, who are not related to each other, move toward harmony after the election of the governor?

Amid such speculation, in the by-elections in Kita Ward, the citizens of the First People's Party and the Liberal Democratic Party clashed.

Koike is popular

Tenfu Ibuki (35) from Tomin First Kai, where Koike currently serves as a special advisor.

After working for 11 years as a male member of the Takarazuka Revue, he left Koike as a secretary for 5 and a half years.
At the start-up ceremony, a video message arrived from the governor, who was devoting himself to the street campaign even in his election, as he was devoting himself to public affairs.

"I'm like my daughter who has played a big role in my office for many years. This time, I'm in the middle of the political arena and I play the leading role. I want you to challenge without regret."

What you wear is the green color that has caused a great sensation in Tokyo.
"I like the green color that is often called Yuriko Green, and I feel that Governor Koike is following me."

A sense of crisis in "burial"

Tenfu's candidacy was announced just one month before the voting date. The "air battle" was launched in the thin ground.

Former Takara Jenne's synchronization and junior members also continue to support each other day by day, decorating the stage of the election car gorgeously. The person's speech is also a voice that grows low as a male role. However, even with this kind of problem...

" I can't fix the habit of holding a microphone when I was singing in Takarazuka."

Meanwhile, from the metropolitan council who gave a support speech, criticisms of the LDP came out one after another.

"It is the LDP that has opposed the city's important budget plan for the second year in a row."
"The LDP is hugging as if it cooperates with Governor Koike, but don't be fooled. Governor Koike and LDP There can be no cooperation with."

Behind the words that emphasize the distance between Koike and the Liberal Democratic Party, one can see the sense of crisis of the First Residents' Association. While Koike's exposure has dramatically increased due to the new corona countermeasures, the presence of Tokyo Tomin First is hard to see. One of the camps muttered in a sigh.
"I've voted for Mr. Koike!", but when I asked about the vote for the Metropolitan Assembly election, I only heard the LDP. I hate the voice "Mr. Koike and the LDP are doing well?" It's bad that we have to make it more pervasive that the people who supported the governor were the citizens first."

Absolutely regaining seats

The LDP lost seats in the Kita-ku constituency, which had a capacity of three, in the three-year-old city council election. Kanako Yamada (49) erected to recapture.

It is a mother of one child who raises a boy of elementary school. My father, who has a physical disability, aimed to be a member of the ward assembly, but was defeated in all five elections. I inherited that idea.

He served as a member of the Kita Ward Assembly for four terms, and the chairman also experienced it. Born in a local electric appliance store, I am proud that I am fully aware of local issues and residents' requests. He also accused the metropolitan assembly that it could be ready.

Initially, some people in the Liberal Democratic Party expected that "Citizen First would not make a candidate for the by-election." This is a reward in which the LDP does not make its own candidate in the governor election.

However, the people involved in the Tokyo Metropolitan government who have been blaming the distrust of Koike for the development that clashed with both parties were enthusiastic.
"This is getting interesting"

Nishimura's Minister for Economic Recovery, which is in charge of measures against the new corona, emphasized Koike and his position.
"When the governor is on the right track, it's the council that works together and works together. But when it's going in a strange direction, it's the role of the council to check."

Komeito will give full support

What attracted attention was the response of the Komei Party, which had been cooperating with Koike in the metropolitan assembly.

In this election, he emphasized the relationship with the LDP in national politics and recommended Yamada.

"As the Komei Party, we have to make Kanako Yamada win whatever we do. We make full recommendations, give full support, and make sure to win." (Akihiro Ota, former Komei Party Representative, House of Representatives, Tokyo 12) (Selected by the ward)

Regional circumstances are involved in this response. The 12 wards of the Tokyo lower house, including the Kita ward, is the only single-member district in the Tokyo where the Komeito protect seats. There seems to be a speculation that Japan will maintain its own election cooperation and prepare for the upcoming Lower House election.

What is the difference from Tomin First

Yamada explained the LDP-likeness as follows.

"We will do something that is not a performance, one that has a foot in the ground. It is what the LDP of the Metropolitan Assembly has been doing so far, but I also want to aim for the same place."

The term of the elected by-elections is one year. In the next summer, the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election production will be refrained. The cadres of the camp explained.
"Getting this one seat is very important for next year, and how many votes the Tomin First Party can get will also tell us what will happen in the future."

Approaching the opposition party

It was Rie Saito (36) of the Constitutional Democratic Party that entered the battle between the Tomin First Party and the LDP. It also supported the Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party.

Saito has a hearing loss. After receiving attention as a “writing hostess” who reads and writes letters and serves customers, he served as a member of the ward assembly for the first ward in Kita Ward, where he lives with his daughter.

I lost my hearing when I was 1 year old, but I can practice and speak. However, because it is difficult for first-time listeners to hear, the supporter appealed the policy with “rispeak” in which the supporter repeated the same content after his appeal.

“Politics go to hear the small voices that are hard to reach politics. There are voices that I can hear because I cannot hear.”
Saito tries to communicate with the citizens by using sign language and writing.

There was such a scene. A woman with a hearing disability "signs up" to Saito in sign language. After that, the woman wrote and said "Good luck" with the pen on the tablet terminal she had in her hand. Saito answered "Thank you" in sign language and smiled.

The momentum of Osaka to Tokyo

Koto Sato (32) of the Japan Restoration Society. He is the successor to the former Lord of the seats, which was the target of the by-elections, Shun Okita and member of the House of Councilors.

The motivation for Sato to look at politics was "going to work", a pre-natal activity to find a nursery school. I thought that the root cause might be politics, so I attended Otokita's political school. While helping the elections, he decided to become a candidate.

Legislators and volunteers help the election. Cars, posters, leaflets, climbing… in order to get a tailwind from their home base, Osaka... Face photos of Governor Yoshimura of Osaka prefecture stand out.

"Tokyo's Restoration" has a weak organization. However, it is also the two sides of the same coin as the strength that appeals to the realization of "new politics." In various places, I appealed as follows.

"I want you to send a politician who can listen to your voice firmly and do what you need in the new era of Reiwa to the metropolitan government, ending the old politics full of clumsiness and old politics."

What is the future result of the voting?

Yamada of the LDP was elected as a result of fighting women of various backgrounds. Tenfu of Tomin First Party finished in 4th place. Analyzing the exit survey targeting early voters reveals the cause of Tenfu.

This time, 18% of the independents voted in Tenfu. On the other hand, in the metropolitan election three years ago, 50% voted for the candidates of the Tomin First meeting. There was a "participant first departure" from the non-partisan class.

A Tokyo residents first meeting where the Liberal Democratic candidate was given a difference of more than a double score.
"It was painful that Governor Koike couldn't come, although there was a short preparation period for the election."
One member of the metropolitan government leaked, saying that he was unable to escape from "Koike's request".

On the other hand, the Liberal Democratic Party has won seats in all four constituencies in which by-elections have been held, including Kita Ward. It surpassed the Komei Party in the metropolitan assembly and became the second party after the Tomin First Party.

While the LDP is still deeply distrust of Koike, especially in the metropolitan assembly, Chairman Kamoshita of the Tokyo Metropolitan Federation said, "Based on the results of the governor's election, it was a turning point to cooperate as much as possible with the governor of Koike." He argued for a shift from conflict to harmony.

Koike is approaching his second term with an overwhelming victory, but the fact that the Tomin First Party is losing momentum is a major concern. A year later, a metropolitan election will be scheduled, and a lower house election will be held by October next year.

Will it approach the LDP and launch a cooperative route to the fore? Are you looking for a chance to break the stage from the conflicting composition? Pay attention to the future outlook.
(Honorific title omitted)

Press Bureau Election Project Reporter
Takashi Kubo
Joined the company in 2003. After going through Nara, Toyama and Osaka stations, went to an election project. In charge of exit investigations.

Press Bureau Election Project Reporter
Masataka Uzawa
Joined the company in 2008. Election project from 2018 after going through Akita station, Hiroshima station and Yokohama station.

Press
affairs reporter Takuya Sakurada Entered in
2012. Election project since 19 after going through Saga and Fukushima stations

News Bureau Election Project Reporter
Takahiro Naito
Joined in 2012. Election project from 19 years after going through Matsue station and Chiba station.