A challenge lies ahead to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus while at the same time not allowing the economy to shrink. The reelected Tokyo governor is urged to continue to take on the heavy responsibility for leading the metropolitan government by implementing practical policies.
Incumbent Yuriko Koike was reelected in the Tokyo gubernatorial election. Without receiving an endorsement from any party, she succeeded in gathering support from a wide range of independent voters. Koike achieved a landslide victory because she can be said to have won the support of those who back opposition parties in addition to those who back the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner Komeito.
Kenji Utsunomiya, former president of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, was supported by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Japanese Communist Party, but that was not enough. Taro Yamamoto, leader of minor opposition party Reiwa Shinsengumi, and Taisuke Ono, a former vice governor of Kumamoto Prefecture who was endorsed by Nippon Ishin no Kai, also failed to gain wide support.
As a countermeasure against the novel coronavirus, the election administration committees of Tokyo's ward, city, town and village governments focused on ventilation and disinfection at polling stations. Some municipalities increased the number of early voting stations to avoid congestion on election day. It is of great significance that these local governments devised ways to create safe conditions for voting.
Koike should put top priority on strengthening measures against infections. Vigilance should never be relaxed, as the number of new cases has been on the rise again in Tokyo. It is important to steadily improve testing capabilities and upgrade medical services.
Don't hesitate to provide support for small and midsize companies and other businesses.
When infections first spread, the central and metropolitan governments were at odds over the range of businesses subject to the requests to suspend operations.
The metropolitan government has repeatedly revised the number of cases because it was unable to accurately grasp the actual situation of the epidemic. It must be said that the Tokyo government failed to have sufficient communication with public health centers that are run by each of the 23 ward governments.
Koike should learn from past developments and work with the central government and municipal governments in Tokyo to implement measures appropriately.
There is a mountain of mid- and long-term issues as well. Can Tokyo manage to hold the Olympics and Paralympics next year amid the coronavirus pandemic?
The organizing committee and the metropolitan government plan to simplify the opening ceremony and other events. It is an urgent task for them to compile concrete plans. It is also essential for parties concerned to repeatedly hold discussions to decide on how to shoulder additional costs caused by the postponement of the Games.
It is important to prepare for disasters such as an earthquake with its focus directly below the capital and super typhoons. Damage will surely be severe in densely populated areas with residences made of wood.
The population of Tokyo, which has reached 14 million because of the unipolar concentration of residents in the capital, is expected to start declining in 2025. The elderly will reportedly account for nearly 30% of Tokyo's population in 2040.
With these factors in mind, Koike needs to promote measures to maintain the vitality of the capital and build a metropolis that is easy to live in.
-- The original Japanese article appeared in The Yomiuri Shimbun on July 6, 2020.
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