For the popular opponents who attempted to unseat Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara in Sunday's gubernatorial poll, the incumbent's well-trained support base proved too strong to bring down.
Among Ishihara's contenders were 53-year-old former Miyazaki Gov. Hideo Higashikokubaru, a comedian-turned politician, and Miki Watanabe, 51, the iconic entrepreneur who founded the Watami pub chain.
Despite their familiar faces, Ishihara, 78, easily secured more than 70 percent of the votes cast by supporters of the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito, according to an analysis by Kyodo News based on exit polls. The two parties were former ruling bloc partners before they were ousted by the young Democratic Party of Japan in the 2009 Lower House election.