Incumbent Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike celebrates after she was elected for Tokyo's gubernatorial election in Tokyo, Sunday, July 7, 2024. Multiple women competing for a top political office is still rare in Japan, but Koike’s win highlights a gradual rise in powerful female officials and a society more open to gender balance in politics. That said, even if a woman eventually becomes prime minister, politics here is still overwhelmingly dominated by men, and experts see a huge effort needed for equal representation. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)
