Tokyo elects first woman governor

On Sunday, Yuriko Koike, Japan's first female defense minister, was elected Tokyo's first woman governor.

Koike, 64, is a member of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party. Reuters reports the Tokyo branch of the party was angry Koike did not get their approval before announcing her candidacy, and they drafted another candidate, Hiroya Masuda. During a press conference, Koike said she "would like to move forward with a metropolitan administration such as has never happened, never been seen, together with all of you."

In her new role, Koike will face several issues, including an aging population and troubles surrounding the 2020 Olympics, like the delay in construction of the main stadium. Before her campaign began, Koike said she wanted to use the Olympics to "build a new Tokyo for beyond 2020."

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