2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election

2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election
← 2020 7 July 2024 2028 →
Turnout60.62% Increase 5.62 pp
 
Yuriko_Koike_2024-7-6(3)_(cropped).jpg
Shinji_Ishimaru_2024-7-6(2)_(cropped).jpg
Renhō_2024-6-30(1)_(cropped).jpg
Candidate Yuriko Koike Shinji Ishimaru Renhō
Party Independent Independent Independent
Popular vote 2,918,015 1,658,363 1,283,262
Percentage 42.8% 24.3% 18.8%
Supported by Tomin First, LDP, Komeito, DPFP — CDP, JCP, SDP
Election results by municipalities.
Governor before election

Yuriko Koike
Independent

Elected Governor

Yuriko Koike
Independent

The 2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election took place on 7 July 2024 to elect the Governor of Tokyo. Incumbent Yuriko Koike was re-elected for a third term, albeit at a reduced share of the votes compared to her 2016 election and 2020 re-election.[1][2] Shinji Ishimaru, the former Mayor of Akitakata, exceeded expectations to place second behind Koike.[3] Meanwhile, lawmaker Renhō, who was endorsed by the main left-wing opposition parties and was widely considered Koike's main opponent leading up to election day, significantly underperformed her polling and placed third.[4]

Ishimaru's success has been attributed to his extensive use of social media platforms for campaigning,[5] winning independents and the youth vote,[6][7] while Renhō's poor performance has been linked to her collaboration with the Japanese Communist Party (JCP), resulting in alienation among independent and moderate voters.[8][9][10]

The election took place simultaneously with by-elections to replace 9 vacant seats in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly.

  1. ^ "Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike secures third term". Nikkei Asia. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Tokyo Governor Koike Wins, Providing Some Relief for Kishida". Bloomberg.com. 7 July 2024. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Tokyo Gov. Koike reelected, beating opposition Renho, rising ex-mayor". Kyodo News. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  4. ^ Inoue, Yukana (7 July 2024). "Koike secures third term as Tokyo governor, exit poll shows". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Social media propels independent candidate to 2nd place in Tokyo gubernatorial election | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News". NHK WORLD. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  6. ^ Shimbun, The Yomiuri (8 July 2024). "Tokyo Election Candidate Shinji Ishimaru Receives Youth Vote Through Grassroots Social Media Campaign Efforts". japannews.yomiuri.co.jp. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  7. ^ Manning, Daniel (10 July 2024). "Newcomer Rocks Tokyo Governor Race: A Taste of the Future? | JAPAN Forward". japan-forward.com. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  8. ^ "「蓮舫」3位大敗で囁かれる「共産アレルギー」の影響 「ショックを隠せない」立民関係者と「大健闘」を称える共産党の"温度差"が示すもの". デイリー新潮 (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  9. ^ 日本放送協会 (9 July 2024). "立民 都知事選 蓮舫氏3位で野党間の連携 議論活発になる見通し | NHK". NHKニュース (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  10. ^ Johnston, Eric (8 July 2024). "Is cooperation with the JCP an asset or liability for the CDP?". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.