Candidates started their election campaigns after the Tokyo gubernatorial race officially kicked off on June 20.

The results of the July 7 vote in the capital will influence the policies of other cities. And with the ruling and opposition parties facing off in the high-profile contest, the election outcome will portend the future of national politics.

Voters, including those living outside of Tokyo, should pay attention to the 17 days of debates among candidates.

The election will represent the voters’ verdict on Governor Yuriko Koike’s performance during her two four-year terms. Particularly important is the postmortem of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, which were postponed to 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The cost of the Summer Games ballooned to nearly double the amount announced at the bidding stage, and Tokyo continues dealing with issues related to the use and maintenance costs of the sports facilities.

An Olympic organizing committee executive resigned following an investigation by French authorities into the flow of money related to the bidding.

A former board member of the organizing committee and others were indicted on bribery charges related to sponsor selection.

However, the metropolitan government has not done enough to claim it has conducted a thorough investigation into corruption scandal, and the event’s “negative legacy” will also be judged in the election.

Tokyo’s budget, when the general and special account expenditures are combined, exceeds 16 trillion yen ($100 billion), comparable to the national budget of Sweden.

Tokyo faces a raft of tough policy challenges, such as its excessive concentration of political, economic and other activities and resources, as well as its aging population and declining birthrate. Whether the budget is used effectively to deal with these problems is also a crucial issue in the race.

Koike on June 18 announced an array of policy measures in her campaign platform.

They include expanding the scope of the free child care program, introducing subsidies for painless childbirth, tackling demographic challenges, promoting women’s empowerment, establishing specialized hospitals for dementia, and increasing wages for care workers.

Koike has also announced a monthly allowance of 5,000 yen for people under 18 and the distribution of 10,000-yen gift certificates as a measure to cope with higher prices.

The incumbent’s large assortment of policy measures to provide financial and other support has been criticized as “pandering” and “vote-catching.” She needs to specify and clarify her policy priorities.

Her main rival, Renho, has announced her own campaign promises, including a pledge to increase the take-home pay of the working generation as “real measures against declining birthrates.”

She has also vowed to improve the treatment of non-regular workers and to inject greater transparency into all metropolitan government projects through a new system for “administrative project reviews.”

The question is whether her campaign platform will resonate with Tokyo’s voting public as a feasible and attractive proposal.

Based on her experience as an Upper House member, how does Renho want to change the metropolitan government? She needs to make a compelling case for her governance.

It’s regrettable that the candidacy and policy announcements of the main contenders were concentrated before the start of the official campaigning period.

The timing of such announcements is apparently based on their campaign strategies, but it would be better if voters had more time to weigh the candidates’ policies in deciding how to vote.

Without being swayed by the mood, voters should listen carefully to the arguments of the candidates before deciding who should be entrusted with the future of the capital.

Regarding April’s Lower House by-election for Tokyo’s 15th district, the leader and two other members of the political organization Tsubasa no To were arrested and indicted on charges of violating the Public Offices Election Law. They are accused of interfering with freedom in elections by disrupting other candidates’ speeches.

If candidates are forced to cancel their street appeals, voters will be deprived of opportunities to assess policies for their decisions at the polls.

Elections are the foundation of democracy.

While protecting freedom of expression, it is necessary to monitor the activities of candidates and others to ensure fair elections.

--The Asahi Shimbun, June 21