A landslide triumph for incumbent Yuriko Koike in the Tokyo gubernatorial election Sunday offered valuable lessons for those involved in national politics eyeing the prospect of a snap Lower House poll.
Ever since the ordinary Diet session closed in mid-June as scheduled, speculation that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is contemplating a snap election has intensified in Nagatacho, the nation’s political hub.
Ruling party lawmakers have appeared to be split about calling a vote, concerned about potential blowback over such a move against the backdrop of an once-in-a-lifetime pandemic and sliding ratings in opinion polls.