Politics of Tokyo
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The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is headed by a publicly elected governor and metropolitan assembly. Its administrative structure is similar to that of Japan's other prefectures. The headquarters building is in the ward of Shinjuku. They govern all of Tokyo prefecture, including lakes, rivers, dams, farms, remote islands, and national parks in addition to its famous neon jungle, skyscrapers and crowded subways.
Under Japanese law, Tokyo is designated as a to (都), translated as metropolis.[1] Within Tokyo lie dozens of smaller entities, most of them conventionally[citation needed] referred to as cities. It includes twenty-three special wards (特別区 -ku) which until 1943 comprised the city of Tokyo but are now separate, self-governing municipalities, each with a mayor and a council, and having the status of a city. In addition to these 23 municipalities, Tokyo also encompasses 26 more cities (市 -shi), five towns (町 -chō or machi), and eight villages (村 -son or -mura), each of which has a local government.
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[edit] Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly
The Metropolitan Assembly is the legislative organ of the whole prefecture of Tokyo. It consists of 127 members elected each four years. Regular sessions are held four times each year, in February, June, September and December. These sessions typically lasts for 30 days. Between these are plenary sessions where discussions on bills are held.[2]
[edit] Governor
Shintaro Ishihara is the governor of Tokyo.
[edit] Political Parties & Elections
All major national political parties are represented in the Tokyo Assembly as well as a few local. The only exception to this is the Social Democratic Party which lost its seats in the latest election.
[edit] Latest election
Tokyo prefecture held elections for the prefectural assembly on 3 July 2005. Next election will be in 2009.
Parties | Votes | % | Seats |
---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (自由民主党, Jiyū Minshutō) | 48 | ||
Democratic Party of Japan (民主党, Minshutō) | 35 | ||
New Komeito party (公明党, Kōmeitō) | 23 | ||
Japanese Communist Party (日本共産党, Nihon Kyōsan-tō) | 15.6 | 13 | |
Social Democratic Party (社民党 Shamin-tō) | - | ||
Others | 8 | ||
Total (turnout 43.99%) | N/A | 100.00 | 127 |
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[edit] Past elections
- Tokyo gubernatorial election, 2007
- Tokyo gubernatorial election, 2003
- Tokyo prefectural election, 2001
[edit] External links
- Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly (Japanese)
- Governor's page
[edit] References
- ^ Local Government in Japan p. 41. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations. Retrieved on 2007-10-16.
- ^ Functions of the Metropolitan Assembly
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