Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara, an outspoken nationalist who is fond of riling Japan's neighbors, yesterday secured a third term leading the world's largest metropolis.
Ishihara, who has used racial slurs for Chinese and Korean residents, vowed to devote his fresh four-year mandate to his pet project of bringing the 2016 Summer Olympics to Tokyo.
"I have been continuously bashed by the media and there have been regrettable misunderstandings and exaggerations. But the public had good sense and saw through that," the novelist-turned-politician told a news conference.
Tokyo was one of 13 provinces holding elections in the first nationwide test for embattled conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the run-up to July's upper house vote.
Exit polls put incumbents ahead in most races, with official results due later. Ishihara's main opponent conceded he was easily defeated.
Ishihara, a prize-winning novelist once spoken of as a contender for prime minister, is known for harsh criticism of China, North Korea, foreigners, immigrants, women -- and even the French language.
He has ignited outrage by ordering public school teachers in Tokyo to sing Japan's national anthem at school functions or face punishment.
Twelve other Japanese prefectures held gubernatorial elections yesterday.
Ishihara, 74, a longtime stalwart in Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic party (LDP), declined the party's formal backing this time to woo independent voters. But he is still supported by the LDP and its coalition partner, New Komeito. Opinion polls put him ahead of Asano, 59, who is backed by the opposition Democratic Party.
Ishihara's critics say voters are becoming increasingly disillusioned with the governor amid allegations of cronyism and expense fund abuse, and Asano's focus on social welfare could resonate better with voters concerned about Japan's rapidly aging society.
Ishihara has been credited with pushing through reforms such as restricting diesel emissions for better air quality and cutting government spending. He is also backing Tokyo's bid to host the 2016 Olympics, while Asano has decried it as an extravagant ego trip.
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon yesterday morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan from tomorrow to Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was approximately 950km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, the CWA said. It is expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, it said. The agency said it could issue a sea warning in the early hours of today and a land warning in the afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving at
DISCONTENT: The CCP finds positive content about the lives of the Chinese living in Taiwan threatening, as such video could upset people in China, an expert said Chinese spouses of Taiwanese who make videos about their lives in Taiwan have been facing online threats from people in China, a source said yesterday. Some young Chinese spouses of Taiwanese make videos about their lives in Taiwan, often speaking favorably about their living conditions in the nation compared with those in China, the source said. However, the videos have caught the attention of Chinese officials, causing the spouses to come under attack by Beijing’s cyberarmy, they said. “People have been messing with the YouTube channels of these Chinese spouses and have been harassing their family members back in China,”
UPDATED FORECAST: The warning covered areas of Pingtung County and Hengchun Peninsula, while a sea warning covering the southern Taiwan Strait was amended The Central Weather Administration (CWA) at 5:30pm yesterday issued a land warning for Typhoon Usagi as the storm approached Taiwan from the south after passing over the Philippines. As of 5pm, Usagi was 420km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, with an average radius of 150km, the CWA said. The land warning covered areas of Pingtung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春), and came with an amended sea warning, updating a warning issued yesterday morning to cover the southern part of the Taiwan Strait. No local governments had announced any class or office closures as of press time last night. The typhoon
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said there are four weather systems in the western Pacific, with one likely to strengthen into a tropical storm and pose a threat to Taiwan. The nascent tropical storm would be named Usagi and would be the fourth storm in the western Pacific at the moment, along with Typhoon Yinxing and tropical storms Toraji and Manyi, the CWA said. It would be the first time that four tropical cyclones exist simultaneously in November, it added. Records from the meteorology agency showed that three tropical cyclones existed concurrently in January in 1968, 1991 and 1992.
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