July 7, 2020

Utsunomiya Kenji, former president of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, put up a good fight receiving 844,151 votes (13.8% of the total votes), but failed to win in the Tokyo gubernatorial election held on July 5.

Koike Yuriko was re-elected with about 3.66 million votes.

After Utsunomiya announced his candidacy, the Japanese Communist Party (JCP), the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the New Socialist Party of Japan, and the Greens Japan expressed their support for him. The Democratic Party for the People (DPP) left it up to its members to choose who to vote for, but DPP Secretary General Hirano Hirofumi and DPP member of the Lower House Haraguchi Kazuhiro made a public appearance to deliver speeches in support of Utsuomiya.

Edano Yukio, the CDPJ head, in his speech in support said, "Many lives that could have been saved were lost in the coronavirus pandemic without undergoing necessary testing. I'm sure that Utsunomiya will work to remake Tokyo by shifting from the imposition of personal responsibility and neoliberal policies and will reach out to the socially vulnerable." Former Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko also made a speech in favor of the candidate.

Twenty-five community groups organized to campaign for Utsunomiya's victory were established throughout Tokyo, strengthening bonds between community activists and opposition parties.

Utsunomiya at a press conference held after the election said, "My election campaign was part of a movement. So, it will continue to the next stage. Groups seeking a change in politics, which at present puts priority on economic efficiency over people's health and livelihoods, supported my candidacy. I believe that movement activities will become a driving force behind the emergence of a new society, and I hope I will be part of that movement."

Past related article:
> Tokyo gubernatorial race putting coronavirus at top of agenda officially starts [June 19, 2020]