Ruling Party Cautious of Shunji Ishimaru’s New Party Amid Renho’s Expired Shelf Life

“This is not good as it is.”

Such voices are heard from officials in both ruling and opposition parties.

In the Tokyo gubernatorial election (voting held on July 7), the incumbent governor Yuriko Koike won her predicted third term. Shunji Ishimaru, former mayor of Akitakata City, Hiroshima Prefecture, surged ahead, surpassing Renho, who had left the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

Looking back in detail, Yuriko Koike secured 2,918,015 votes, a decrease of about 740,000 votes from the previous election in 2020. The voter turnout was 60.62%, an increase of 5.62 points from the last election.

The issue lies with the second place.

Shunji Ishimaru garnered 1,658,363 votes, while Renho received 1,283,262 votes. It was reported during the election campaign that Ishimaru was closing in on Renho in the middle of the race, but ultimately, Ishimaru achieved a significant lead over her.

“Renho has clearly expired. Failing to defend her second place must be a bitter disappointment. There are rumors of her running in the next House of Representatives election, and while this Tokyo gubernatorial election served partly as a public appearance, her overwhelming defeat necessitates a reassessment of strategy.” (Opposition party official)

Initially facing the risk of losing his deposit, Shunji Ishimaru expanded his support through energetic street speeches. While Renho struggled to gain traction, Ishimaru surged ahead decisively.

“He effectively combined real-life and online strategies. Honestly, Ishimaru’s proposals lacked specificity, such as ‘this is how I want Tokyo to be,’ but his vague image of overthrowing old politics gained support, especially among younger generations.

Influencers quickly expressed their support, and edited videos circulated unnaturally in large numbers. There were many fervent supporters, and the enthusiasm at his street speeches was clearly greater than Koike’s.” (National newspaper political reporter)

Voters who did not want to support either the ruling or opposition parties cast their votes for Ishimaru. This movement is nothing but a threat to the existing parties.

This year, important elections have been held in various countries around the world, with the UK experiencing a change in government and the left making strides in France. South Korea’s ruling party also suffered a major defeat. Concerns about President Biden’s age have surfaced late in the US presidential election, creating a situation where caution is necessary.

The director of an election program remarked, 

“Simultaneous tectonic shifts are occurring worldwide. Japan is no exception, with the public growing weary of the stale battle between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the Constitutional Democratic Party. Ishimaru seems to have perfectly tapped into this receptacle of frustration.”

They speak about it.

In Nagatacho, there’s a flurry of unverified information swirling about the post-Tokyo gubernatorial election power dynamics. Particularly alarming to both ruling and opposition parties is the rumored “Ishimaru New Party.” As reported by a national newspaper journalist:

“There have been rumors circulating, especially among those close to former Akashi Mayor Fumiho Izumi, who has expressed interest in entering national politics. The speculation suggests they may ‘merge’ into Ishimaru’s new party. The plan is to establish this new party and field over 150 candidates nationwide in the next House of Representatives election.

In terms of funding, support is expected from Hirodoro Coffee’s Hiroshi Toba, a close associate of Ishimaru, and possibly prominent business figures. While this remains speculative chatter in Nagatacho, it’s not entirely unrealistic. This has heightened caution among both ruling and opposition parties.”

After the Tokyo gubernatorial election, Shunji Ishimaru denied any current intention to establish a new party during interviews:

“At this stage, I have no intention of creating a new party.”

However, during his appearance on ‘Mr. Sunday’ (Fuji TV), he mentioned:

“There is potential in terms of national politics. For instance, if someone like Mr. Izumi or Mr. Hashimoto was to talk about launching a new party, I would definitely like to work together with them.”

And he stated this. Some view this as lip service aimed at Mr. Izumi and Mr. Hashimoto, who was in the studio.

After the election, Mr. Izumi made critical comments about Mr. Ishimaru. Therefore, when I applied for an interview along with questions about Mr. Ishimaru’s impression and the formation of a new party.

“We regret declining the interview request regarding the matter you mentioned.”

It was the response from the office.

There is growing caution surrounding the ‘Ishimaru New Party.’ A member of the Liberal Democratic Party commented:

“We need to strike preemptively before the ‘Ishimaru New Party’ gains momentum. Whether Prime Minister Kishida is prepared to risk damage and call for a dissolution of the House of Representatives election remains to be seen.”

He talked about it.

Mr. Ishimaru is hinting at running for election from Hiroshima’s 1st district, which is considered Fumio Kishida’s stronghold, if a general election is called. This gubernatorial election might later be referred to as a turning point for Japan.