Outspoken Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara is one of the most talked-about politicians in Japan today, often mentioned by the media as a possible future prime minister.
With the April gubernatorial election nearing, speculation is rife over whether he will seek a second term or attempt a long-rumored comeback to national politics.
Looking back at what he has done for the capital in his first four-year term, some watchers say Ishihara's initiatives have tended to favor large-scale development projects, while welfare spending has been pared.