Death threats against Tokyo governor candidates reflect societal ‘frustration’ in Japan

Experts say incidents involving Yuriko Koike and Renho Murata stem from simmering ‘latent anger’ against the country’s existing social order

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Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike (left) and Renho Murata attend a press conference in the Japanese capital on June 19. Photo: Reuters

Published: 10:00am, 27 Jun 2024

A string of death threats directed at the two leading candidates in the Tokyo gubernatorial race reflects the “latent anger” of the electorate and Japan could be on the brink of a return to the politically tumultuous 1930s era, analysts warn.

Fax messages were sent on Monday to the office of the Tokyo First Party, to which Governor Yuriko Koike serves as a special adviser, and the office of a member of the group representing the city’s Toshima ward.

“I have obtained a high-performance bomb and sulphuric acid. I will pour sulphuric acid on Yuriko Koike and blind her,” read the anonymous message, Jiji Press reported on Tuesday.

“I will blow up Yuriko Koike’s election office,” the dispatch added.

Renho Murata, the primary challenger to Koike, who is running for a third term, also received a fax message at her office last week threatening to “repeatedly stab Renho to death with a knife” and set off “explosives on June 24”, Jiji Press quoted campaign officials as saying.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police are investigating the warnings, which come ahead of the July 7 vote, as attempted political intimidation.