This Tokyo governor election has attracted attention for better or worse.

The largest number of candidates ever, cases that seem to hack public election laws, how various media handle it, and so on.

Everywhere I go in my circle, the Tokyo governor election comes up as a topic. It's truly the topic on everyone's lips - "Tokyo governor election."

After various considerations for this Tokyo governor election, I voted for "Takahiro Yasuno."

This section records information about the background and context behind the decision-making.

I'm a young person in my late twenties (or so I'd like to believe... 😇).

Thinking about the future, personally I'd prefer emphasis on economic policy over welfare. Especially, I hoped for someone who would work to improve Tokyo's position in the global environment. Also, I wanted a candidate without ties or obligations to any particular organization to be governor. Someone who would break up vested interests would be ideal.

This section records information about the actual decision made. It describes the choice adopted through voting and alternative options that weren't chosen. First, needless to say, I excluded fringe candidates who seemed to be using the governor election as advertising.

Considering candidates without ties, I narrowed it down to Shinji Ishimaru or Takahiro Yasuno.

The person whose thinking most aligned with mine was Yasuno. However, initially I was honestly thinking of voting for Ishimaru...

From a vote count perspective alone, he seemed likely to get the third-most votes after Koike and Renho. The Tokyo governor election is "you must be first." Second place and below are meaningless. We're forced to choose from among those who could "realistically" get votes. In that case, among them, Ishimaru seemed most likely to break up vested interests. That's why I was thinking of voting for Ishimaru.

However, Ishimaru's manifesto lacked specificity, and his perspective on improving Tokyo in the global environment differed from my thinking.

Ever since I gained voting rights, I've always voted for candidates through "process of elimination."

That's because there were no candidates I wanted to vote for.

But this time, there is someone I want to vote for. Despite that, I hesitated thinking "Am I going to vote by elimination again?" Rather than the perspective of who to get elected, I felt it was much more valuable to be able to confidently say I voted for this person. Based on that thinking, I voted for Takahiro Yasuno.

Ah, it feels good. Such a refreshing feeling! ✨

This section records information about expected impacts and future challenges as a result of the decision.

This is my personal opinion, but I think voting for Yasuno has future meaning even if he doesn't win this time. In past elections, there has been absolutely no policy discussion. They only say pleasant-sounding words and highly abstract things.

Personally, this only seems like they're looking down on Tokyo residents. "If I talk at this level, they'll follow me. If I don't talk specifics, I can change policies however I want." I feel like they're thinking this way deep down.

That's why, as always, they don't bring it to policy discussions but use political maneuvering and situations as material for speeches to gather supporters. If we vote for candidates using the same method in this governor election, it might make them think "This method gets support. Pleasant-sounding talk is fine" in the future too.

On that point, if Yasuno gets many votes, I think candidates who think "Policy discussion is effective. Let's incorporate policy discussion" might emerge in the future. Even if he doesn't win the governor election, I think there could be an effect of changing how future elections are conducted.

This is how I pondered various thoughts and voted for Yasuno. I learned a lot about various issues through the election, and personally I think it was good. I can only hope Tokyo becomes a better place.

P.S (Just a side note...)

Watching this Tokyo governor election made me think I need to build resistance to "agitation." For that purpose, I think it's necessary to have my own opinions on a daily basis. Like the Japanese language problems on the university common test (formerly the Center Test), "plausible" options are presented, and if you look at them without your own hypotheses or opinions, you'll fall into traps - that's the feeling. I think if you have your own opinions, you can resist agitation to some degree.