Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike

I value my experiences, inspiration, and what I like, and take on new challenges.

Governor of Tokyo　Yuriko Koike(Yuriko Koike)

■ Profile
Born in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture in 1952. Graduated from the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Arts, Cairo University. After working as a television anchor, he was elected to the House of Councillors in 1992. He became a member of the House of Representatives in 1993. He has served as Minister of the Environment, Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister for National Security Affairs, Minister of Defense, and Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's General Council, before becoming Governor of Tokyo in 2016. He is currently serving his third term.

■About my student days

I had always wanted to go to university abroad. After seeing a book about the Middle East on my father's bookshelf, I decided to study abroad at Cairo University in Egypt. I chose Arabic because I thought it would be an added advantage in the future in addition to English. I had a dream of "traveling to every country in the world," and I tried to do so in creative ways, both while studying abroad and after returning home. I made it a rule to always stay overnight in each country I visited, and I started with Arab and African countries such as Morocco and Libya, filling in the map one country at a time. I gave up on my dream when the Soviet Union collapsed, but my feelings haven't changed to this day. It's a hands-on approach.

■ Supporting childcare and creating an environment where women can thrive

In various surveys, many people say they want two or three children after marriage, but the reality is that one child is all they can handle. We hope to cultivate the next generation of leaders by providing a seamless environment for marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, child-rearing, and education, and by increasing options tailored to their needs. Furthermore, even if women excel in school, they still tend not to be entrusted with important roles once they enter society. We must eliminate the stereotypical perception of gender roles. This is also important for increasing the number of women in decision-making positions. To ensure that women can demonstrate their potential in all areas, Tokyo has launched the "Women in Action" initiative, and is working to expand the circle of women's empowerment, or WA. The city's greatest asset is its people. I want to create a metropolitan government that is rewarding and inspires empathy, regardless of gender or age.

■Message to students

Tokyo hosts the startup conference "SusHi Tech Tokyo," which aims to solve global urban challenges using cutting-edge technology and ideas. It began from scratch two years ago and has quickly grown into one of the largest in Asia. I hope that the young people of the next generation will also take on challenges and live independently. Even Bill Gates and Elon Musk started out in garages and other small spaces. I hope that you will use the experiences and inspiration you gain in your youth to take on new challenges and become leaders of the future.

Modern society is overflowing with information, and the world is constantly changing. That's why the last thing you have to choose is what you love. Life is long, so it's a good idea to stop and think about what you love.

Student Newspaper April 2025 Issue, Kunitachi College of Music, 4th year student, Mari Okabe

<Special Interview with Junior and Senior High School Newspaper>

Governor Koike Yuriko became Tokyo's first female governor in 2016 and is now serving her third term. She has set out "Great Reforms for Tokyo," implementing childcare support measures, creating an environment in which everyone, including young people and women, can thrive, and revitalizing the economy, and is running the metropolitan government with the aim of making Tokyo "the best city in the world." We spoke to the governor, who is busy with such a big project, about her key policies.

People are our greatest asset. Let's create a society where everyone can find fulfillment!

After spotting a book about the Middle East on my father's bookshelf, I decided to study abroad at Cairo University in Egypt. I traveled extensively, both during my time abroad and after returning to Japan, with the dream of "visiting every country in the world." I particularly wanted to visit places that were difficult to reach while I was young and still had the stamina, so I traveled mainly to Arab countries and Africa. Until the Middle East wars began and travel became difficult, I visited North Africa, including Libya, Algeria, and Morocco, as well as the Middle East, including Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. There are so many things I learned through these trips that you can't understand without actually being there. Nowadays, you can gain knowledge through television and the internet and immerse yourself in the feeling of having been there. However, I realized that you can't truly understand the lives, thoughts, and smells of a country unless you actually visit it.
For example, when I went to Ethiopia, where famine was a problem at the time, I was very surprised to see weight loss exercises being broadcast on local TV. Even within the same country, the situation is completely different in the capital of the ruling tribe and in the regions of the hostile forces.
He then ran for the House of Councillors election at the age of 39, and visited about 60 countries before becoming a member of parliament.
I had hoped to travel at a faster pace, but I had to give up because I had to broadcast live every day as a newscaster, and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 meant that many countries gained independence one after another, making my goal seem more distant. Even now, my desire to visit unknown places remains unchanged. Even after becoming a politician, I still value a hands-on approach.

■ Support for developing human assets

The ideals of people who want to get married and raise children have not changed from the past to the present. While many surveys show that they want two to three children, an increasing number of people are concerned about the risks and burdens of childbirth and child-rearing, and feel that one child is the limit.
In today's world, dual-income households are the norm, so it is important for society as a whole to create an environment that makes it easy for both men and women to raise children.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government puts your position and needs first and is committed to providing seamless support throughout your life stages, from meeting and marriage to pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing.
To date, we have introduced a variety of support measures that are leading the nation, including support for egg freezing, 018 Support, which provides 5,000 yen per month to children aged 0 to 18, and free childcare fees for the second child and beyond.
In order to reduce the burden of education, we are also working to make school lunches free in all wards, cities, towns and villages in Tokyo and to make high school tuition fees essentially free.
Starting in September of this year, we will extend free childcare fees to include first-time children, and in October we will begin providing financial assistance to those who wish to undergo painless childbirth. We also provide financial support totaling 10 yen during pregnancy and after childbirth, and this will be increased by 22 yen from this fiscal year.
People are Tokyo's greatest asset. We want to make it an easy place to live, study, and raise children. We will do our utmost to support each and every person's self-realization. I want to create a metropolitan government that fosters empathy.

■ Nurturing the next generation of innovators

I've heard that Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, who founded the now-regularly ranked GAFAM companies, also started out in garages. In Japan, Konosuke Matsushita's Panasonic and Soichiro Honda's Honda both started their businesses in small local factories. I want to nurture young people who, like them, will follow their inspiration and passion from a young age and take on new challenges, leading the way into the future.
Digitalization is changing the way we learn, and the range of schools we can choose from is expanding. Taking into account these changes in the educational environment and social needs, we will develop a free and diverse learning environment in Tokyo that allows students to grow in their own way.
Furthermore, for young people, the opportunity to hear directly from entrepreneurs (entrepreneurs and business people who create businesses from scratch) is invaluable. As a new initiative launched last year, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has been implementing the entrepreneurship development program "TIB Students," in which leading entrepreneurs give lectures at junior and senior high schools and give talks at Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB).
TIB, established by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in Yurakucho, is one of Japan's largest startup support centers, and since its pre-opening two years ago, it has attracted over 14 visitors. It functions as a hub where diverse people gather and interact. A student group called ITAMAE is also active here, and they are involved in planning and running the student pavilion at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government-sponsored startup conference "SusHi Tech Tokyo." I hope that Tokyo will continue to nurture young people who will be active on the world stage and create innovation.

■Message to junior and senior high school students

I think it's important to cherish the desire to try new things and to have a sense of independence. The world today is fast-paced and overflowing with information. That's why I want you to stop and think about what you like and what you value. Life is long. I hope you find something you like and live a wonderful life.

Junior and Senior High School Newspaper April 2025 Issue Yusuke Suzuki, 4th year student at Hosei University

Yusuke Suzuki, 4th year student at Hosei University / Masamasa Hattori, 2nd year student at N High School / Maria Okabe, 4th year student at Kunitachi College of Music / Junki Suzuki, 4th year student at Nihon University / Takafumi Yoshida, 4th year student at the University of Tokyo