Tokyo — Tokyo residents went to the polls Sunday in a big test for embattled Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose ruling Liberal Democratic Party is facing a powerful challenge from the megacity’s popular governor for control of the local assembly. Former TV anchorwoman Yuriko Koike, who was elected governor in a landslide last year, is hoping to seize control of the 127-seat Tokyo assembly which currently has a LDP majority. Koike, who has also served as defence and environment minister, has approval ratings topping 60% and is already been spoken of by analysts as a potential future prime minister, as Abe battles a cronyism scandal. The energetic 64-year-old quit the LDP last month to lead the newly-formed Tomin First no Kai (Tokyo Residents First), and is hoping to take charge of the chamber after forging an alliance with the Komeito party, a Buddhist-backed moderate group that has long sided with Abe in national politics. Koike has pledged to rein in overspending on the Tokyo 2020 Ol...
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