Was it COVID-19 that worked favorably for the incumbent governor? Was it because the ruling Liberal Democratic Party didn't field a candidate? There could be many reasons why Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike won a second term in Sunday’s election.
It was unfortunate that the lackluster campaign failed to garner much public attention despite Tokyo being the nation's capital. But the election result should not be easily dismissed as it has many implications for national politics. The lessons to be learned are not only for Tokyoites, but also for people nationwide.
The impact of the novel coronavirus on the election was huge. Koike refrained from making stump speeches and avoided public appearances. Other candidates followed suit. Heated policy debate among the candidates was scarce during the campaign period as Koike was often absent from the events organized by media organizations. As a result, media coverage of the campaign was far less than in the last gubernatorial election, and there were not enough opportunities for voters to learn about the candidates and their policies.