Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike has spent four eventful years at the helm of the capital, and now she’s seeking four more in the gubernatorial election on July 5.
From the costly relocation of a famous wholesale market and multiple attempts to forge a new political party, to the historic postponement of the 2020 Games and an unnerving initial brush with the coronavirus pandemic, her first term in office was a test of her diplomatic skills and political leadership.
Each challenge revealed a new face of Koike’s political persona, and they will also serve as benchmarks against which voters examine what the incumbent has or hasn’t achieved in the past four years.