Japan’s Abe struggles as rival Koike bounces back

Significance

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, meanwhile, has been tarnished by a vote-buying scandal involving an associate.

Impacts

• Despite recent increases, COVID-19 cases in Tokyo are still low and within the healthcare system’s capacity.
• Much depends on how the pandemic develops elsewhere, but Abe can rely on Koike to back plans to hold the Olympics in Tokyo next year.
• A referendum on reforming the administrative structure of Osaka to compete better with Tokyo may be delayed.