Japan: Will Tokyo governor's reelection spur ambitions?

The landslide reelection of Yuriko Koike as governor of Japan's capital Tokyo has fueled speculation that she will run again for prime minister. But it would not be plain sailing in view of her mixed record. Yuriko Koike remains the most powerful female politician in Japan. Though she ran as an independent candidate without any party backing in Sunday's gubernatorial election, she won more than 60% of the votes, prevailing over 21 other candidates. Some 3.7 million of the city's 14 million inhabitants voted for her; by contrast, only 844,000 voted for her strongest rival, the 73-year-old lawyer Kenji Utsunomiya. Koike can thank her decisive handling of the coronavirus pandemic for her...