YURIKO KOIKE

Governor of Tokyo

Yuriko Koike became Tokyo’s first female governor in 2016 and was re-elected for a second term in 2020. As governor, she is proactively advancing numerous initiatives, including those focused on empowering women and eliminating child-care waitlists to create a work-friendly environment for employees.

Ms. Koike was elected to the House of Councillors in 1992 and to the House of Representatives in 1993, where she served for a total of eight terms. She held several cabinet posts, including Minister of the Environment and Minister of Defense. As Environment Minister, in an effort to reduce energy use, Ms. Koike introduced the ‘Cool Biz’ campaign to encourage workers to wear light and comfortable attire during the summer months.

Before entering national politics, she worked as a newscaster covering economic issues. Ms. Koike graduated from Cairo University, Egypt.