In a district especially disillusioned with boys' club politics, candidates in the Tokyo 15th district by-election are striving to prove themselves as anything but the usual politician. The constituents — haunted by the memories of a political misconduct scandal involving their previous representative, combined with a slush funds scandal that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party found itself embroiled in — are looking for a breath of fresh air, resulting in a rare and unusual sight for Japan: a female-driven election.
While the high-stakes competition to fill the scandal-tainted seat in parliament to represent Tokyo's southern Koto Ward rages on with much emphasis put on issues related to education and child-rearing, one name stands out.
Natsumi Sakai, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP)’s candidate and one of four female candidates running in the by-election, is in the lead so far, according to mid-term media surveys. She is receiving a very strong push from her party, with various CDP politicians rushing to back her up and campaign alongside her as she makes her way through the district.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.