Latest news with #TominFirstnoKai
Yomiuri Shimbun
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
LDP Suffers Hit in Tokyo Assembly Election, Cedes Top Spot to Tomin First Party
The Liberal Democratic Party suffered a major setback in Sunday's Tokyo metropolitan assembly election, its seats in the assembly falling to an all-time low at 21 seats. The LDP also surrendered its position as the largest party in the assembly to Tomin First no Kai (Tokyoites first group). With 127 seats up for grabs in the election, voters punished the LDP for its failure to tackle inflation and its recent financial scandals. After the results were announced, the LDP also endorsed three unaffiliated candidates who won seats. Meanwhile, Tomin First no Kai reclaimed its place as the largest party in the Tokyo assembly, with its candidates winning 31 seats. The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan also increased its seat count. The Democratic Party for the People and Sanseito, which previously had no representation in the assembly, both won multiple seats. The Tokyo assembly election looks certain to affect the House of Councillors election that will soon follow. The race saw 295 candidates, the highest number since the seat count in the Tokyo assembly was set at 127, compete in 42 electoral districts. The focus of the race was whether the LDP would be able to keep its position as the largest party, and whether a group of political parties supporting Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike — namely the LDP, Tomin First no Kai and Komeito — would maintain its majority. The LDP did not endorse six members who had served as secretary general of the party caucus in the assembly as they were found to have improperly reported revenue from political fundraising parties. That left the party only endorsing 42 candidates, far fewer than in the previous Tokyo assembly election. Due in part to deep-seated discontent with the party, over its politics-and-money scandals and its handling of surging prices, all LDP candidates in electoral districts where there was only one seat up for grabs lost their race. After the votes were counted, the party endorsed an unaffiliated candidate who won in a district in Tokyo's southern islands. 'We got poor ratings from the people of Tokyo,' said Shinji Inoue, chairman of the Federation of Tokyo Metropolitan Liberal Democratic Party Branches, on Sunday night. Tomin First no Kai fielded 37 candidates and played up its close ties with Tokyo's governor, who serves as a special advisor to the regional party. Thanks to Koike's popularity, the party attracted support from a wide range of voters. It claimed three electoral districts where there was only one seat to win, and also took seats in the districts including Nakano Ward and Kodaira. Komeito sought to have all its candidates win seats for the ninth consecutive Tokyo assembly election and so narrowed its roster down to 22 candidates, one less than the seats it held before the election was announced. But three of its candidates — two in Ota Ward and one in Shinjuku Ward — failed to secure a spot in the assembly. However, as Tomin First no Kai was able to grab more seats, the total number held by the parties supporting the governor will assure a majority in the assembly. The Japanese Communist Party and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan pushed their criticisms of the LDP's scandals and Koike's management of the Tokyo government. While the CDPJ won 17 seats, the JCP fell to 14, down five from before the election campaign. The DPFP won nine seats in such districts as Katsushika Ward. Sanseito won three. On Monday, senior members of the LDP and Komeito commented on their poor showings in the election. LDP Policy Research Council Chairperson Itsunori Onodera said in the morning that the party had not been able to firm up the support it needed. Looking ahead to the upper house election, he said, 'We will tout our economic and other key policies without wavering on our principles.' At a pre-dawn press conference, Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito said, 'We didn't quite do enough to tout our policies.' Also on Monday, the Tokyo Metropolitan Election Administration Commission announced that 47.59% of voters turned out for the election. That was up by 5.2 percentage points from the last Tokyo assembly election in 2021, when voter turnout hit its second-lowest point on record.
Yomiuri Shimbun
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
17％ of Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Election Voters Consulted Social Media Before Casting Ballot; Percentage Was Equal to Those Who Referred to Newspapers
The Yomiuri Shimbun conducted an exit survey of voters in Sunday's Tokyo metropolitan assembly election, receiving responses from about 21,000 people. Among other questions, the survey asked respondents about their main source of information before casting their ballot. 17% pointed to social media and video-sharing sites, making this option tied with newspapers for second place. The most cited information source was official election bulletins, at 26%. News websites and news applications accounted for 14%, and 11% said their source was TV. More than 20% of survey respondents aged 18 and 19, and the same proportion of those in their 20s, 30s and 40s, said they regarded social media as important. The proportion of those in their 50s who said this was not much lower. Of those who regarded social media et al as an important information source, a plurality, at 24%, voted for regional political party the Path to Rebirth. Voters emphasizing social media also included many who voted for Tomin First no Kai (Tokyoites first group) at 15% and the Democratic Party For the People at 13%, while those who voted for the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and Japanese Communist Party candidates accounted for less than 10% each. During the election campaign, all political parties tried to make the most of social media and video-sharing sites, though voters who regard these things as important seem to have an existing slant.
Nikkei Asia
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Nikkei Asia
Ishiba's LDP set to post record-low results in Tokyo assembly vote
Takayuki Morimura, Tomin First no Kai leader, places a flower next to the name of a candidate expected to win in the June 22 Tokyo assembly election. (Photo by Marina Inoue) TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party is expected to post record-low results in Sunday's Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, regarded as a bellwether for the July House of Councillors parliamentary race, as he struggles to steer a minority government in national politics. Tomin First no Kai, a regional party established by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, is likely to become the biggest force in the 127-member assembly, underscoring the appeal of her policies centered on quality of life. Tomin translates to Tokyoites.
Yomiuri Shimbun
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Poll Shows Japan's LDP Most Popular in Upcoming Tokyo Assembly Election; High Prices, Wage Growth Remain Key Issues
Yomiuri Shimbun file photo The Tokyo metropolitan assembly The Liberal Democratic Party is the most popular party in the upcoming Tokyo metropolitan assembly election, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun poll, with 20% of respondents saying that they would vote for the party. The survey was conducted by phone and online to analyze the situation regarding the June 22 assembly election. Local political party Tomin First no Kai (Tokyoites first group), for which Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike serves as a special adviser, came second in the poll, with 10% expressing support for the party. The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Democratic Party for the People each received 7%, while the Japanese Communist party and Komeito were each supported by 4%. Thirty-one percent of respondents gave no response. Compared to the previous poll conducted between May 16-18, support for the LDP, the largest party in the assembly, increased to 2 points, maintaining its lead. Support for Tomin First no Kai rose 3 points, while DPFP's ranking dropped, down 3 points. Support for Gov. Koike increased 3 points to 58%. When respondents were asked about issues they found important, with multiple answers allowed, the top response was 'measures to address high prices and promote wage increases' at 78% (the same as in the previous survey), followed by 'healthcare and welfare policies' at 51% (53% in the previous survey), 'crime prevention and security measures' at 47% (50% in the previous survey), and 'politics and money' at 43% (46% in the previous survey). Regarding the issue of politics and money, the LDP did not give official endorsements to six former secretary generals of the assembly's LDP faction who were involved in the political funds scandal in which the LDP faction failed to report income from fundraising parties. When asked whether information on social media about political parties and candidates was important in deciding who to vote for, 8% said 'very much' and 35% said 'somewhat,' a total of 43%. By age group, 58% of those aged 18-29 and 62% of those in their 30s said it was important, while more than half of those in their 40s and older said it was not important. The survey was conducted on eligible voters in Tokyo between Friday and Sunday, and there were 1,463 respondents.
Yomiuri Shimbun
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
292 Candidates Vying for 127 Tokyo Assembly Seats; Many Eyes on Whether LDP Can Remain Biggest Group
The Yomiuri Shimbun Voters listen as a candidate gives a street speech in Chofu, Tokyo, on Friday. Official campaigning kicked off Friday for the June 22 Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, with much attention being paid to whether the Liberal Democratic Party can remain the assembly's largest force. As of 1:20 p.m. on the day, 292 candidates had filed their candidacies for the 127 seats being contested, the most people running since the number of seats was set at 127 in 1997. Much attention is being paid to whether the LDP will be able to maintain its position as the largest party in the assembly, as it is facing a headwind over issues of politics and money. The results will likely influence the upcoming House of Councillors election due to take place in July. Whether the LDP, the Tokyo-based regional party Tomin First no Kai (Tokyoites first group) and Komeito, all of which support Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, will be able to maintain their joint majority is drawing attention. Another focus in the election will be whether the Democratic Party for the People and the Path to Rebirth, a regional political party led by Shinji Ishimaru, a former mayor of Akitakata, Hiroshima Prefecture, will each gain their first seat. Key issues in the race include economic concerns such as high prices and wage hikes, as well as the evaluation of Koike's running of her administration. Political reform will also be a focal point after some LDP members in a party group in the assembly were found to have failed to record required information in their political funds reports. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who is also president of the LDP, forwent giving a street speech on the first day of official campaigning. Shinji Inoue, chairperson of the Tokyo federation of LDP branches, spoke to the public in Shibuya Ward on behalf of the party leader, saying: 'We deeply regret and will fulfill our duty to explain the [political funds] matter. The future of Tokyo will be challenging. We must do our utmost to curb rising prices.' In front of Ikebukuro Station, Koike gave a speech for a candidate endorsed by her party. 'Policy is a lifeline, and Tomin First's stance is to build the pillar of that policy,' the governor said, citing achievements in child-rearing support, such as effectively free high school tuition. Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, was outside JR Nakano Station. 'We will not tolerate wasting taxpayers' money. I want [our party's candidates] to act as watchdogs for taxpayers and bark in the Tokyo assembly,' he said. 'We will work with politics at the national level to propose concrete policies focused on the lives of Tokyo residents and see them implemented.' Candidate registration began at 8:30 a.m. at the Election Administration Commission in all 42 electoral districts. The numbers of officially endorsed candidates from major political parties are as follows: LDP 42; Tomin First no Kai 37; Komeito 22; Japanese Communist Party 24; CDPJ 20; Japan Innovation Party 6; Seikatsusha Network 3; DPFP 18; Reiwa Shinsengumi 3; Sanseito 4; Conservative Party of Japan 1; Social Democratic Party 1; and Path to Rebirth 42. Minor-party or unaffiliated candidates totaled 69. The numbers of seats held before the start of the official election campaign period were as follows: LDP 30; Tomin First 26; Komeito 23; JCP 19; CDPJ 12; JIP 1; Seikatsusha Network 1, and unaffiliated 11. There were four vacancies. The LDP has decided not to endorse six members who have served as secretary general of the party's political organization in the Tokyo assembly for having failed to include required information in their political funds reports. In response to the political funds scandal, Komeito has decided to forgo endorsing LDP candidates as it did in the previous race. Tomin First coordinated its candidates with the DPFP in some electoral districts. The JCP and the CDPJ, which oppose Koike's administration, also coordinated their candidates for the election. According to the commission, there were 11,551,505 eligible voters in Tokyo as of Thursday.
