Opposition lawmaker Renho wants to run for governor of Tokyo

Tokyo, May 27 (Jiji Press) — Renho, a 56-year-old lawmaker from Japan’s main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, plans to run in Tokyo’s July 7 gubernatorial election, party sources said Monday.

Renho, one of the lawmakers representing the Tokyo constituency of the House of Councilors, was first elected to the Upper House of Japan’s parliament in 2004 by the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan and is currently in her fourth term. She previously served as minister of administrative reforms and head of the former Democratic Party, the successor to the DPJ.

Incumbent Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is likely to vie for a third term as leader of the Japanese capital and is expected to win the support of the country’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner Komeito.

Koike has a cooperative relationship with Komeito in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly.

The official campaign period for the Tokyo gubernatorial election begins on June 20.