Society

A week before Tokyo gubernatorial election, Koike takes commanding lead in polls

Jun 30 (Japan Times) - Less than a week remains until the capitalâ€™s gubernatorial election on July 5, and it appears the incumbentâ€™s strategy â€” taking advantage of her popularity by running a defensive campaign â€” is working.

Polling data released by multiple sources over the weekend showed Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike leading the race by a large margin. She commands strong support not only among voters aligned with the ruling bloc but opposition parties as well, according to the data, leaving trailing candidates to vie for whatâ€™s left.

In a survey conducted by Kyodo News, Koike had the support of 70 percent of voters aligned with the Liberal Democratic Party and 90 percent of those aligned with Komeito, which together form a ruling coalition in the national Diet.

Even members of the LDPâ€™s local chapter in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly â€” which has clashed with the Tokyoites First local party created by Koike in 2017 â€” are expected to vote for Koike.

While they trail her by a large margin, other front-runners include Kenji Utsunomiya, a 73-year-old lawyer and former head of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations; Taro Yamamoto, 45, former actor turned leader of anti-establishment party Reiwa Shinsengumi; and Taisuke Ono, 46, former vice governor of Kumamoto Prefecture.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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