The Tokyo gubernatorial election is shaping up to be a fight between incumbent Gov. Yuriko Koike and, most likely, Renho, with the two declaring their campaign promises Tuesday to bolster child-rearing polices to combat the capital's declining birth rate.
Although many of their goals are similar — with Renho even praising some of Koike’s child support policies implemented over the past eight years — Renho claims that their main difference is timing, with Koike more focused on immediate child-birth and child-rearing support, while Renho is looking to improve support for young Tokyoites.
During a news conference Tuesday, Koike highlighted the good she had done, such as continuing to push for policies that support women seeking infertility treatment and egg freezing, and subsidizing education. “I will aim for a Tokyo where it does not cost money to raise and educate a child,” she said.