Politics of Tokyo

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" (), translated as "metropolis". [cite web
url=http://www.jlgc.org/en/pdf/localg2006.PDF
title=Local Government in Japan
accessdate=2007-10-16
publisher=Council of Local Authorities for International Relations
type=PDF
pages=p. 41] Within Tokyo lie dozens of smaller entities, most of them conventionallyFact|date=October 2007 referred to as cities. It includes twenty-three special wards (特別 -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 cities ( -shi), five towns ( -chō or machi), and eight villages ( -son or -mura), each of which has a local government.

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. [ [http://www.gikai.metro.tokyo.jp/english/english20.htm Functions of the Metropolitan Assembly ] ]

Governor

Shintaro Ishihara is the governor of Tokyo.

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.

Latest election

Tokyo prefecture held elections for the prefectural assembly on 3 July 2005. Next election will be in 2009.

Past elections

* Tokyo gubernatorial election, 2007
* Tokyo gubernatorial election, 2003
* Tokyo prefectural election, 2001

ee also

References

External links

* [http://www.gikai.metro.tokyo.jp Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly] ja icon
* [http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/GOVERNOR/index.htm Governor's page]