Sunday's Tokyo election seen as a pointer to Abe's political future

Tokyo

JAPAN'S Prime Minister Shinzo Abe faces what some analysts suggest may prove to be the greatest threat to his political power since he came to office in December 2012 with next Sunday's Tokyo Metropolitan Government election, where a credible rival for national power could emerge.

Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike who recently quit the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) which Mr Abe heads, to lead her own party, the Tomin First no Kai (Tokyoites First party), hopes to see the six-member group defeat the LDP in the Tokyo assembly where the ruling party currently holds 56 seats.

Formerly defence minister in a previous Abe Cabinet, Ms Koike has a good chance of robbing the LDP of its long-held majority in the 127-seat Toky…