The is the head of government of

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

. In 1943, upon the unification of

Tokyo City was a Cities of Japan, municipality in Japan and capital of Tokyo Prefecture (1868–1943), Tokyo Prefecture (or ''Tokyo-fu'') which existed from 1 May 1889 until the establishment of Tokyo Metropolis on 1 July 1943. The historical boundari ...

and

Tokyo Prefecture Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital and most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is one of the most populous urban areas in the world. The Greater Tokyo Area, which ...

into

Tokyo Metropolitan Government The is the government of the Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis. One of the 47 Prefectures of Japan, prefectures of Japan, the government consists of a popularly elected governor and assembly. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, headquarters build ...

, the position of Governor was created. Previously, the prefecture had a Governor while the City had a Mayor. The current title was adopted in 1947 due to the enactment of the Local Autonomy Law.

Overview

The Governor of Tokyo is the head of the

, and is elected by the citizens of

Tokyo Metropolis Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

every four years, most recently in the

2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election The 2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election took place on 7 July 2024 to elect the Governor of Tokyo, Governor of Tokyo. Incumbent Yuriko Koike was re-elected for a third term, albeit at a reduced share of the votes compared to her 2016 Tokyo gubernato ...

. As

has the largest economy and population in the country, government policies can greatly affect national affairs, giving a governor significant influence in the country and a louder voice in the National Governors' Association. The annual budget of

is about 13 trillion yen, ten times that of other prefectures and comparable to the national budget of

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

, so a governor also has a great deal of influence in the national economy. The

has more than 160,000 employees, making it by far Japan's largest employer.

Qualifications

Candidates must be a citizen of

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

and be a resident of

for more than three months, and must be over the age of 30. Candidates must also put up three million yen to the

, which will only be returned if they receive at least 10% of the votes.

List

Appointed, Tokyo Prefecture (1869–1943)

* Karasumaru Mitsue (1868) *

Ōki Takatō Count , was a Japanese statesman during the early Meiji period. He was Governor of Tokyo in 1868 and a member of the Japanese Privy Council in 1889.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Ōki Takatō" in . Biography Ōki was born into a ''sam ...

(1868–1869) *

Mibu Motoosa 270px, Mibu Toy Museum is a town located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 39,158 in 16,149 households, and a population density of 640 persons per km2. The total area of the town is . Geography Mibu is loc ...

(1869–1871) *

Yuri Kimimasa Viscount was a statesman in Meiji period Japan. During the Meiji Restoration he used the alias Life and career Yuri was a ''samurai'' born in Fukui, Echizen Province (present-day Fukui Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture ...

(1871–1872) *

Ōkubo Ichiō , also Okubo, Ookubo and Ohkubo, is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Ōkubo clan **Ōkubo Tadayo (1532–1594), Japanese daimyō of the Sengoku period ** Ōkubo Tadasuke (1537–1613), Japanese daimyō of the Sengoku ...

(1872–1875) *

Kusumoto Masataka (April 14, 1838 – February 7, 1902) was a Japanese Home Ministry government official. He was a member of the House of Representatives of the Empire of Japan and its third speaker. Previously, he was governor of Niigata Prefecture (1872–1875) ...

(1875–1879) *

Matsuda Michiyuki was a Japanese bureaucrat and statesman, active in the Meiji period of Imperial Japan. Matsuda was governor of Shiga Prefecture from 1871 to 1875, and governor of Tokyo from 1879 to 1882. Matsuda was sent to Ryukyu in 1879. He abolished the ...

(1879–1882) *

Yoshikawa Akimasa Count was a Japanese bureaucrat, statesman and cabinet minister, active in Meiji- and Taishō-period Japan. Biography Yoshikawa was born in Yamakawa, Awa Province (currently Yoshinogawa, Tokushima) as the son of a local ''samurai''. After ...

(1882–1885) * Watanabe Hiromoto (1885–1886) * Takasaki Goroku (1886–1890) *

Marquis A marquess (; ) is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German-language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or wido ...

Hachisuka Mochiaki (1890–1891) *

Tomita Tetsunosuke was a Japanese businessman, 2nd Governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ), and Governor of Tokyo.Singer, Isidore. (1910). Biography Tomita was born in Sendai Domain (modern Miyagi Prefecture), as the fourth son of a samurai retainer to the Date cl ...

(1891–1893) *Miura Yasushi (1893–1896) *Marquis Koga Michitsune (1896–1897) *

Viscount A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscounty. In the case of French viscounts, the title is ...

Okabe Nagamoto (1897–1898) * Koizuka Ryū (1898) *

Baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than ...

Senge Takatomi Baron Takatomi Senge was a Japanese priest and politician. He served as governor of their prefectures. He was Governor of Saitama from 1894-1897, Governor of Shizuoka from 1897-1898, and Governor of Tokyo from 1898-1908. He was also a member of ...

(1898–1908) *

Hiroshi Abe (governor) Hiroshi Abe is the name of: People *, Japanese model and actor *, Japanese amateur astronomer affiliated with the Yatsuka Observatory *Hiroshi Abe (war criminal) (born c.1922), former Japanese soldier *Hiroshi Abe, Governor of Tokyo The is the ...

(1908–1912, 1st time) *Hiroshi Abe (1919–1921, 2nd time) * Usami Katsuo (1921–1925)

Appointed, Tokyo Metropolis (1943–1947)

Shigeo Ōdachi was a bureaucrat, politician and cabinet minister in both early Shōwa period Japan and in the post-war era. Biography Ōdachi was born in what is now Hamada, Shimane, as the younger son of a local ''sake'' brewer. After his graduation in 1916 ...

(1943–1944) *

Toshizō Nishio was a Japanese general, considered to be one of the Imperial Japanese Army's most successful and ablest strategists during the Second Sino-Japanese War, who commanded the Japanese Second Army during the first years after the Marco Polo Bridge I ...

(1944–1945) * Hisatada Hirose (1945–1946) *

Shōhei Fujinuma was a Japanese era (年號, ''nengō'', lit. year name) of the Southern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Kōkoku and before Kentoku. This period spanned the years from December 1346 to July 1370. The Southern Court ...

(1946) *

Haruo Matsui Haruo (written: 春雄, 春生, 春男, 春夫, 晴生, 晴男, 晴夫, 暎夫, 治夫 or 治夫) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: From Japan *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese chemist *, Japanese film di ...

(1946) *

Seiichirō Yasui Seiichirō Yasui was a Japanese politician and bureaucrat who held a variety of positions in Japanese government. He served as appointed Governor of Niigata Prefecture from 1940 to 1941, then as appointed Governor of Tokyo from 1946 to 1947, ...

(1946–1947) * Kazumi Iinuma (1947)

Elected, Tokyo Metropolis (1947–''present'')

Notes

References

{{Governors of Tokyo 1947 establishments in Japan

Politics of Tokyo

Lists of governors in Asia