Koike resigns as Party of Hope leader

November 15, 2017

Tokyo- Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike stepped down as leader of the Japanese opposition Party of Hope on Tuesday.

Her resignation was approved at the day's meeting of the party's lawmakers in both chambers of the Diet, the country's parliament.

Coleader Yuichiro Tamaki, a member of the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, replaced Koike.

At a time when her clout is diminishing following the party's setback in the Oct. 22 general election for the Lower House, Koike now plans to focus on running the Tokyo metropolitan government, as Tamaki is forming a new executive team for the party, informed sources said.

Koike's resignation as Party of Hope leader is expected to deal a blow to the party, as she led its establishment and its fight in the election.

On reasons to quit, Koike told the meeting: "To fulfill my responsibility as the party's founder, I started off as its leader. But from now on, I'll leave party matters up to its executives and help them work for the people of Japan."

Koike told reporters later that she plans to engage in the party's management as special adviser or in other forms.

At the meeting, the party approved the appointment of Lower House member Motohisa Furukawa as its secretary-general and Atsushi Oshima, also a Lower House member, as acting leader.

After the gathering, Party of Hope executives met and approved former Democratic Party leader Seiji Maehara's entry to their party.

Koike has been under pressure to resign as Party of Hope leader since the party won only 50 seats in the 465-member Lower House in the general election, short of its preelection share of 57.

On Oct. 25, however, she expressed her intention to continue to lead the party, saying she had a responsibility to do so as its founder. At the same time, she voiced her plan to distance herself from national politics.

Koike launched the party in late September just before the Lower House was dissolved for the snap election. She was criticized for saying she would reject some members from the DP willing to join the Party of Hope. Jiji Press