Will the curtain rise for the "Koike Theater"? February 4, 12:22
Tokyo has a jerky relationship with the country over its response to the new coronavirus.
Last week, the Governor of Tokyo, who spearheaded himself in a mask every day, was also looking at a battle different from Corona.
The Mayor of Chiyoda, Tokyo, which was said to be the outpost of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election in July.
What kind of drama will the heated battle begin under the state of emergency?
(Takuya Sakurada, Sakurako Yoshioka)
The beginning is "like the wind"
The day of the notification, when the steamy white breath leaked and the limbs were biting in the cold.
At the departure ceremony of Takaaki Higuchi, who was recommended by the local political party Tomin First no Kai, a familiar voice came from the white election car as if he had timed the timing immediately after he made his first voice.
"We will work with Takaaki Higuchi to take measures against corona in Chiyoda Ward."
Yuriko Koike, the governor of Tokyo, who is a special adviser to the Tomin First no Kai, has appeared.
Koike never went out and campaigned for the new coronavirus in the governor's election, which he decided to re-election last summer.
The supporters who thought that they wouldn't show up again this time were screamed at the sudden appearance.
"Chiyoda Mayor's election started today. Takaaki Higuchi, Takaaki Higuchi, thank you everyone."
Staying time is less than one minute.
Koike, who pushed Higuchi's back with an elbow touch instead of cheering, left dashingly, leaving only a lingering sound, perhaps conscious of the secret measures under the state of emergency.
20 years of teacher-apprentice relationship
For Koike, the election of Mayor of Chiyoda must be associated with a pleasant memory.
Four years ago, the incumbent Masami Ishikawa, who provided full support, won by overwhelmingly behind the LDP candidates.
With the same momentum, the Tomin First no Kai rushed to the first party in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election six months later.
Higuchi was the first to win the election in the Chiyoda Ward constituency (capacity: 1 person) in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, and became a symbol of the breakthrough.
The relationship with Koike lasts for 20 years.
When Higuchi was a university student, he supported Koike's election campaign by handing out villas and putting up posters for four years after he hit the gate of the Koike office in the wake of a parliamentary internship.
"Mr. Koike was the first politician I met and had the most solid philosophy. I was attracted to her idea of clean politics and political reform." (Higuchi)
There was a strong view that he was aiming for the sixth term. Ishikawa, who was incumbent, expressed his intention not to run for two weeks before the notification date.
Higuchi hurriedly decided to challenge the ward administration by passing the incumbent Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly.
It was an ultra-short-term decisive battle of only 11 days until the notification date.
It is said that he is so close to Koike that the people concerned say that he is "loving like his son", and it is said that Koike supported this sudden candidacy.
A message of encouragement from Koike was posted on Higuchi's Twitter.
"In Corona, the role played by politicians, especially the role required of the top of the local government, is very large. I guarantee Mr. Higuchi's personality and passion for politics."
Self-public confronting in "national election level"
The Liberal Democratic Party, on the other hand, recommends Kyoichi Hayao, who served as a ward council for four terms with the Komeito.
We focused on solidifying the organization to gain momentum ahead of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election in July.
A large number of members of parliament from both parties rushed to the start-up ceremony, and the team became like a national election.
Hayao cut out the first opening.
"We will make the administration take for granted. We will make it an administration that can firmly follow proper procedures." I was
keeping in mind the "condominium problem" of Ishikawa, who has retired from the ward mayor this time. was.
It was revealed in March last year that the room of an apartment of about 100 million yen in Chiyoda Ward, which Ishikawa jointly owns with his family, was a "business collaborator dwelling unit" that is not sold to the general public, and the ward administration has since stagnated. ..
Hayao has confronted this issue as the chairman of the Hyakujo Committee, which has strong investigative powers.
In front of his supporters, Hayao strengthened his morale.
"If the water stays, it will stagnate. If it stagnate, it will rot. I would like to win anything in the Mayor's election this time." In
Chiyoda Ward, which has Kasumigaseki and Nagatacho, there are many public servant housing and company housing of public companies.
In addition to developing a roller operation targeting these voters, the camp also supported the Liberal Democratic Party's acting secretary-general Seiko Noda, Seiko Hashimoto, Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Koichi Hagiuda, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
The dissonance I heard
However, the Hayao camp had some uncertainties.
The Liberal Democratic Party in Chiyoda Ward was once called the Don of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly by local elections, and Shigeru Uchida, who has been the chief adviser of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government even after retiring, still has a certain influence.
In the ward council, a group close to Uchida and a group called "four-member group" who are far from it are fighting for initiative, and Hayao was one of the four-member group.
Even after Hayao's recommendation was decided in November last year, complaints were smoldering, and the issue was whether monoliths could support him.
At that time, information such as "There is a movement to support Higuchi in the group near Uchida" flew in the camp.
There was one act like this at an online rally by female supporters held in the middle of the election campaign.
While Hayao did not appear even after the scheduled time, one of the leader-ranked participants exhaled the atmosphere inside the camp.
"I'm really looking at it with pity. Why can't everyone keep the decision made by the LDP? Even when I hear the voices of the supporters, I'm confused as to which is Hayao or Higuchi. Everyone supports Hayao. But I'm skeptical about how serious it is. "
Behind the game ...
The election of Mayor Chiyoda, in which Koike and the Liberal Democratic Party collide head-on.
However, there have been movements between the two to shorten the distance this year.
On January 19, just before the notification date, an opportunity was set up between the LDP Tokyo Metropolitan Government executives and Koike to exchange opinions on measures against corona.
It is said that the LDP side approached Koike.
Ichiro Kamoshita, the chairman of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, said, "We must fully cooperate with the measures taken by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to provide peace of mind to the citizens of Tokyo," he said.
Koike also responded, "I would like you to lend me the efforts of everyone who is struggling every day as a measure against corona."
Tokyo Metropolitan executives denied the view that the two sides would come close to each other ahead of the summer election, but expressed expectations for future reconciliation.
"There have been various things up until now, but the election for the governor of Tokyo has ended, and it doesn't matter if the LDP is good or bad,"
Koike has a situation.
It is hard to say that the Tomin First no Kai has the momentum of four years ago, with some members leaving the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly at the end of last year.
If the position of the first party shifts to the Liberal Democratic Party in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, Koike will be required to reconsider how to deal with the Liberal Democratic Party in terms of the administration of the city.
From the movement of Koike, we can see the strategy of both sides looking ahead even after the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election.
Koike to fully support Higuchi in the ward mayor election
However, Koike's support for Higuchi gradually became hot.
I thought it was live-streamed online under the title of an urgent talk about measures against corona, and the next day I boarded an election car and called for support for an hour and a half.
And the last day we met.
From morning till evening, he traveled around the ward in an election car, and at the launch, he finally climbed onto the stage and appealed for support to speak to the audience.
Officials from the camp at the scene tweeted.
"When I got on the election car on the first day, the reaction was better than expected. That ignited the engine,"
explained an executive of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, which is in contact with Koike on a daily basis.
"Higuchi may be cute, but I think the governor has a lot of blood in the election. It seems that he was motivated by saying that he was playing a good game. For the governor, he said," In the game. I think it's important to win. ”
Asao Igarashi, who was the second challenge following the previous four years ago, tried to break into the battle between the two.
This time, I received a recommendation from the Nippon Ishin no Kai just before, and aimed to incorporate criticism votes as a third option, neither the LDP nor the Tomin First.
Chiyoda's camp, gunbai
Election campaigns in which each camp said, "The votes are difficult to read and I don't know who will win."
It was Higuchi who won.
Koike also joined the circle of joy online at the office.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly of a Tomin First no Kai was thrilled.
"Koike's magical power is still alive."
Liberal Democratic Party licking a tough cup
All the people concerned said, "I didn't think Koike would come out so far," but one of the executives of the Hayao camp said, "Koike is all over and the difference of 2000 votes is Koike whirlwind. It can't be said that it's coming again. I would have won if there wasn't this mess, "he said.
On the other hand, LDP Metropolitan officials were angry that the LDP and Komeito parliamentarians went in and out of restaurants in Ginza until midnight and were forced to resign or leave the party, which also affected the election. I was thrown away.
"It is undeniable that if the Diet members take such actions while there are many people in trouble in the world, the support for the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito Party will decline. The approval rating for the Cabinet will also decline, and the headwind to the Liberal Democratic Party will be Mayor Chiyoda. It's not just about selection. "
Summer team, and ...
Five months left until the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election.
The House of Representatives election will be held by autumn.
Twelve years ago, the Liberal Democratic Party lost a lot in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election and allowed a change of power in the House of Representatives election immediately afterwards.
Four years ago, the Liberal Democratic Party lost a lot to the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, but Prime Minister Abe decided to dissolve the House of Representatives.
He escaped the crisis by controlling the match with Koike, who launched the party of hope.
The politics of the year when the House of Representatives election and the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election overlap violently.
This year, the spread of the new coronavirus and the issue of holding the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will come into play.
Koike won the battle in January.
However, the future development is still unreadable.
(Honorific title omitted in the text)
Election project reporter
Takuya Sakurada
Joined in 2012.
After working at the Saga and Fukushima stations, the election project since 19 has been a favorite in Chiyoda Ward, the book cafe in Jimbocho.
Election project reporter
Sakurako Yoshioka
Joined in 2013.
After working at the Kanazawa Bureau and Mito Bureau, an election project started in September 2008.
This year I want to go see the cherry blossoms in Chidorigafuchi.