Campaigning for the June 22 Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election — an early indicator of how voters nationwide might cast their ballots, especially for the major national parties, in next month’s Upper House poll — kicked off Friday.
Candidates for the 127-seat chamber include those from the main national ruling and opposition parties, as well as local parties, including Tomin First no Kai (Tokyoites First), whose special adviser is Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike.
Key questions that have emerged in the race include how well the Liberal Democratic Party, currently with 30 seats, can retain its position as the largest party in the assembly. It will put up 42 candidates. Six former and current assembly members involved in the LDP's political funds scandals are running without formal party support.
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