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Voters in Tokyo re-elected incumbent Yuriko Koike as their next governor, public broadcaster NHK reported on Sunday, citing its exit poll, as the Japanese capital grapples with the coronavirus pandemic and prepares for next year's Olympics.
Koike, 67, often floated as a potential prime minister, won plaudits from the public for her straight-talking approach to the pandemic in contrast with what critics say was Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's initially slow and clumsy response.
A former defense and environment minister, Koike is promising to prepare Tokyo - which accounts for about 20 percent of Japan's economy - for any second wave of infections and gain a public understanding for a "simplified" Olympics next year after the 2020 Summer Games were postponed because of the coronavirus.
Koike gave an "online" victory speech in front of a limited number of journalists to minimize the risk of coronavirus infection.
"The immediate issue at hand is the coronavirus," Koike said, as Tokyo has seen more than 100 new cases a day recently - many from clusters in the city's host and hostess clubs.
As for the Olympics, she said, "the coronavirus infection is also the priority here as well".
"What can we do to host a safe and secure Games? How can we reduce its cost and simplify it? I wish to continue working on our coronavirus measures so that it will become reality," she said.
'Party of hope'
COVID-19 also overshadowed Sunday's voting with polling station staff donning masks, face shields and plastic gloves, while tape on the floor kept voters apart.
Poll booths were sanitized after every use, and voters were urged to use hand sanitizer as they entered and exited.
Koike's main challengers were Kenji Utsunomiya, 73, a lawyer backed by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and two other opposition parties, and Taro Yamamoto, 45, a former actor and leader of the anti-establishment party Reiwa Shinsengumi.
The men were nationally recognized figures, but were no rivals to Koike, who campaigned online and did not mingle with supporters or give speeches to reduce infection risks.
Koike originally won the governorship in a landslide vote in 2016, becoming Tokyo's first female leader.
She has been seen as a steady pair of hands during the coronavirus crisis, issuing frequent video messages - including in English, which is highly unusual for a Japanese politician.
However, she fluffed her biggest political gamble in 2017 when she created a new "Party of Hope" that coalesced opposition to Abe's all-powerful Liberal Democrats in the national election.
This sparked speculation she would ditch her role as Tokyo governor to run for the prime minister.
However, despite initially promising opinion polls, support imploded because of public confusion over her intentions.
(CGTN)
