Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has attempted to firmly place her new party in the centre ground of Japanese politics ahead of the country’s upcoming election later this month. <br /><br />Using a golfing metaphor, the former TV presenter and defence minister said her Party of Hope offered voters a “middle of the fairway” choice. <br /><br />Koike has emerged as a serious challenger to Japan’s current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his conservative LDP party following his decision to call the snap October 22 poll. <br /><br />The pair clashed on Sunday over economic policy during a TV debate. <br /><br />Koike’s party is attempting to field enough candidates to win a majority in Japan’s powerful lower house parliament, though she has repeatedly stressed she will not stand for office herself.<br /><br />Shinzo Abe called the election last month amid amid a rebound in his approval ratings and the ongoing North Korea nuclear crisis.<br />
