Terror and opposes the Japanese government's tradition of UN-centered foreign policy. However, she has sent mixed messages to the United States in terms of destabilizing the Middle East with democratization efforts. On the other hand, showing parts of the world how powerful the United States is as an ally is a priority. During the 2008 LDP leadership election, she pledged to make Russia return the four disputed islands to Japan if she was elected as prime minister. Overall, Koike is a diplomatic leader. Back in 2010, she helped strengthen ties between Libya's Muammar Gaddafi and Japan. This led to the creation of the Japan-Libya Friendship Association. Other positions Koike has also actively promoted Japanese pop culture, appearing in cosplay as Sally from Sally the Witch in 2015, and stating during her 2016 Tokyo gubernatorial campaign that she wanted to turn all of Tokyo into an "anime land". Koike initiated "Jisa Biz" (時差biz) in July 2017 to promote remote work and staggered work times to reduce traffic congestion during the morning rush hour in Tokyo. In 2017, Koike launched and led a new national political party. It was called Kibō no Tō, which means "Party of Hope". Although still Governor of Tokyo, she was the primary leader of this party. It was assumed that this party could have been the main opposition to the LDP. On 22 October 2017, the Party of Hope did not perform as well at the polls as expected. Koike's overarching policies were similar to those of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The policy to set them apart was their differing opinions on nuclear energy. Koike was opposed to it as an advocate of the environment. Koike did not join any successor party to the Party of Hope at its April 2018 dissolution. References External links Koike Yuriko Official Website Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet – Profile Yuriko Koike appointed new Defense Minister |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- 1952 births 20th-century Japanese politicians 20th-century Japanese women politicians 21st-century Japanese politicians 21st-century Japanese women politicians The American University in Cairo alumni Cairo University alumni Conservatism in Japan Environment ministers of Japan Female defence ministers Women government ministers of Japan Female Japanese governors Female members of the House of Councillors (Japan) Female members of the House of Representatives (Japan) Governors of Tokyo Japan New Party politicians Japanese anti-communists Japanese defense ministers Japanese nationalists Japanese television