Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike (Mainichi/Masahiro Ogawa)

       TOKYO -- Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said, "Though there's no Taliban in Japan, I wonder why women's advancement in society is so delayed," referring to the fact that she is the only woman who has run in a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election.

       Koike brought up the Taliban, feared to impose restrictions on women's rights, in comparison to the issues in Japan at a Sept. 10 regular press conference. She added, "I hope there will be debate about how to improve this nation, regardless of gender."

       In 2008, Koike became the first woman to run in an LDP presidential election. Looking back at the time, she said to the press on Sept. 10, "It's not easy to gather 20 people to endorse you (as needed to run). There are many things happening, like (other camps) trying to split the party. The Olympic and Paralympic Games are over, but I think it's changed to a power game now."

       Former Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Sanae Takaichi has announced her candidacy for the upcoming LDP presidential election. If she does run, she will be the second woman to do so, for the first time in 13 years, following Koike.

       (Japanese original by Asako Takeuchi, Tokyo City News Department)

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