Shinji Ishimaru entered the Tokyo governor’s race determined to stay out of the political feud between the ruling and opposition camps while using his “internet strategy” to appeal to voters fed up with politics.

The result was a second-place finish in what had been billed as showdown between two of Japan’s most recognizable female politicians.

“The consensus of the people of Tokyo has been exposed,” Ishimaru said at a news conference in the capital’s Shinjuku Ward on the evening of July 7. “I can proudly say that I did everything I could do.”

Yuriko Koike, 71, was re-elected to a third term as Tokyo governor by securing 2,918,015 votes, or 42.77 percent of the total.

Ishimaru, 41, former mayor of Akitakata in Hiroshima Prefecture, came in second, with 1,658,363 votes, or 24.3 percent.

But Ishimaru proved more popular than the incumbent among unaffiliated voters.

According to exit polls conducted by The Asahi Shimbun, 36 percent of unaffiliated voters chose Ishimaru, compared with 32 percent for Koike.

Former Upper House member Renho, 56, who was seen as Koike’s main rival in the election, gained support from only 16 percent of unaffiliated voters, and placed third.

Ishimaru’s strategy of targeting younger voters was also successful.

Over 40 percent of voters in their teens or 20s picked Ishimaru. He was also more popular than Koike among voters in their 30s, according to the exit polls.

NOT TIME FOR ‘PROXY WAR’

Ishimaru resigned as mayor of Akitakata, a city of fewer than 27,000 in western Japan, in May during the middle of his term.

At a news conference on May 17, he announced his bid to become Tokyo governor. Asked why he was running as an independent, he replied, “This is not the time for a proxy war in national politics.”

At the time, political parties were still bickering over the scandal surrounding unreported political funds gained by factions of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

About a week before June 20, the starting date of official campaigning, Ishimaru moved to Tokyo.

After former opposition leader Renho announced her candidacy, she vowed to “reset” the metropolitan government and tied Koike to the problems besetting the LDP, the incumbent’s former party.

Ishimaru, however, distanced himself from the opposition-LDP feud and appealed to voters who distrust all political parties.

During the 17-day campaign, he said he would “break away from interest-based politics” and “not belong to any national political party of the existing forces.”

INTERNET STRATEGY

And almost immediately into the campaign, he began to disseminate information through his signature internet strategy, which he had used when he was Akitakata mayor.

This strategy involves YouTubers nationwide claiming to have formed a “symbiotic relationship” with Ishimaru and spreading videos about him, even if they were not acquainted with him.

For example, when Ishimaru was Akitakata mayor, he criticized his opponents, including city assembly members, with sharp and harsh language.

YouTubers quickly compiled eye-catching clips of Ishimaru into short videos that were uploaded.

Although the YouTubers may not have known Ishimaru, the content of the videos gained many views, thus increasing the profits of the uploaders.

These videos proliferated, as did “Ishimaru fans” throughout Japan.

The former mayor used the same approach in the Tokyo gubernatorial election.

During the campaign, he made about 10 street speeches a day, each lasting 10 to 15 minutes and featuring his promises to “make politics visible” and “invest in education for economic growth.” He also stressed his experience of working at a major bank.

At the end of each speech, he said, “The rest will be on the website.”

More people took videos of Ishimaru with their smartphones, and his “fans” nationwide grew in number and helped spread his message.

About 700 videos about Ishimaru were distributed on YouTube within a week after the campaign officially started. They collectively gained more than 120 million views.

Individual donations for his campaign totaled about 270 million yen ($1.68 million), and more than 5,000 people volunteered to work on his campaign.

At the July 7 news conference, Ishimaru expressed satisfaction at having been able to generate a large swell of support.

When asked about the possibility of running for a Diet seat, Ishimaru said: “I will consider it as an option. Hiroshima’s No. 1 district. Which is Prime Minister (Fumio) Kishida’s district.”