Voters Casting Ballots In Tokyo Election
Voters in Japan's capital are heading to the polls in an election that's focused on coronavirus measures and the upcoming Olympics. The results of the Metropolitan Assembly vote could serve as a bellwether for a Lower House election that must be held within months.
271 candidates are vying for 127 seats. TOMIN First had the most, going into the election. Governor Koike Yuriko founded the regional party and is its special adviser.
But the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito aim to win a combined majority. The two parties are coalition partners at the national level.
The election comes as health experts warn of the potential for a new spike in cases of the coronavirus, fueled by more infectious variants.
A state of emergency was lifted two weeks ago, but intensive anti-virus measures remain in place.
Preventing the spread was a central focus of nine days of campaigning. Another was the Olympics, including whether to allow domestic spectators at events.
All polling stations will be closed by 8 p.m. on Sunday. Vote counting will start immediately after that.