Purple T-Shirt Group Ishimaru Madams Boosts Shinji Ishimaru’s National Profile Despite Election Loss
The Tokyo gubernatorial election, with a record 56 candidates, was held on July 7. Incumbent Governor Yuriko Koike (71) secured over 2.91 million votes, winning her third term.
It was expected to be a head-to-head race between Koike and former Upper House member Renho (56), but Renho finished a distant third. At a late-night press conference on the same day, Renho appeared solemn.
“It all comes down to my lack of ability.”
She admitted in her concession speech. When asked by reporters about her future in national politics (the next House of Representatives election), she replied,
“Today is the day when the results showed that my efforts did not resonate. I need some time to reflect on what I am lacking. I am not in a position to comment on the impact this gubernatorial election will have on national politics.”
In contrast to Renho’s solemn demeanor, the campaign team of Shinji Ishimaru (41) displayed a completely different attitude despite their loss.
Ishimaru, who emerged as a dark horse in the election, garnered over 1.65 million votes and finished a strong second. Around 8 PM on the same day, he addressed his supporters, saying,
“I feel that my team really gave it their all during the election. We received incredible support from countless people. In that respect, I can proudly say that we did everything we could. Thank you so much.”
Displaying a cheerful demeanor, he added that he had not yet decided on his future plans. However, when asked about the possibility of running for national office.
“I will certainly consider it as an option. For example, Hiroshima’s 1st district, which is Prime Minister Kishida’s constituency.”
This statement drew loud applause from the audience. Among the supporters were the “Ishimaru Madams,” who wore purple T-shirts and towels, Ishimaru’s signature color, and volunteered for his campaign.
“You could say that the ‘Ishimaru Madams’ contributed greatly to his significant breakthrough this time,”
These words come from a national newspaper journalist who covered the election campaign.
