Tokyo is electing a new governor on Sunday and the results may affect the yen. The election turned into somewhat of a referendum on nuclear power but has shifted into a vote on sexism.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa is running an anti-nuclear campaign, despite the regional government’s limited ability to affect nuclear policy.
Hi chief rival is Yoichi Masuzoe who is being supported by PM Abe. In an effort to fight back Masuzoe pledged to boost renewable power to 20% of total use.
Nuclear power is key to Russia’s trade deficit because continuing to use coal imports is a tremendous cost and Abe wants to restart nuclear reactors this year.
The polls show Masuzoe leading but there is a last-minute twitter campaign by women voters against him after he said in 1989 that menstruation makes women unfit for government.
“Women are not normal when they are having a period… You can’t possibly let them make critical decisions about the country (during their period) such as whether or not to go to war,” he said.
The women are pledging a sex boycott against any man who votes for Masuzoe.
