Campaigning for the Tokyo gubernatorial election officially kicked off Thursday with 16 candidates set to battle over national-level issues ranging from energy policy to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
According to the metropolitan election board, 16 people filed to run in the race and will vie for the votes of 10.82 million residents.
"An important opportunity has come to make a choice on the prospects of this country, Tokyo and the way we live," former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa said in front of City Hall after filing his candidacy.