Over 270 Candidates to Run in Tokyo Assembly Election

   Tokyo, May 21 (Jiji Press)--Over 270 people are expected to run in the June 22 Tokyo metropolitan assembly election as of Wednesday, likely hitting the highest number in decades.
   The focus of the election will be whether the Liberal Democratic Party can remain the biggest force in the 127-seat assembly or whether Tomin First no Kai (Tokyoites first group) will take back the top slot.
   As many parties consider the poll a precursor to this summer's election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament, they treat the Tokyo race like a national election.
   The LDP, which holds 30 seats in the Tokyo assembly, will put up 42 candidates. In addition, six former and current assembly members involved in the LDP's political funds scandals plan to run as non-LDP candidates.
   In the 2017 poll, the LDP gained 23 seats, its all-time low in a Tokyo assembly election. Some expect that the LDP to struggle this time again due to a public backlash over the money scandals and weak public support for the national administration of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the LDP's president.

(2025/05/21-18:51)

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