Japan: Koike joins leadership race with reforms vow

A former defence minister today announced she would try to become Japan’s first female prime minister, as candidates made it clear today that rejuvenating the world’s second-largest economy would be the focus of the upcoming election battle.

Yuriko Koike, a former TV anchorwoman, vowed to push ahead with economic reforms started by her protege, former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, under whom she also served as environment minister.