"Incumbent Koike Secures Third Term in Tokyo Governor Election (Update)"

NHK Exit Poll Predicts Vote Share in the 40% Range

On the 7th, exit polls indicated that Yuriko Koike (小池百合子, 71), the current governor of Tokyo Metropolis, is certain to win a third term, according to local media reports including NHK and Kyodo News.

NHK's exit poll results showed that Governor Koike's expected vote share exceeds 40%, significantly outpacing former House of Councillors member Renho, who garnered just over 20%, and former Hiroshima Prefecture Akitakata Mayor Shinji Ishimaru by a large margin.

(Photo by EPA Yonhap News)

Voting began at 7 a.m. and ended at 8 a.m. on the same day. Preliminary counting results are expected late at night, with the final count anticipated to be completed by early morning on the 8th.

Koike, who gained recognition as a TV main anchor, entered politics and has served as a member of the House of Councillors (upper house) and the House of Representatives (lower house), as well as Minister of Defense, Minister of the Environment, and Minister in charge of Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs.

She ran as an independent in the 2016 Tokyo gubernatorial election, becoming the first female governor of Tokyo, and was re-elected in 2020. If she succeeds in winning a third term this time, she will lead Tokyo Metropolis for another four years.