TOKYO, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike will likely appoint a female senior public officer as a new vice governor, which would mark the first time a woman has held the post in 22 years, local media quoted sources as saying Friday.
The potential appointment comes amid speculation that Koike herself may run in the upcoming general election.
Earlier this week Koike launched her "Kibou no To" (Party of Hope) party and agreed to field candidates from the effectively disbanded main opposition Democratic Party.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday dissolved the lower house of parliament for a general election to be held on Oct. 22.
Under the envisioned personnel shuffle, Junko Inokuma, the female director general of the bureau of accounting, and Akira Hasegawa, head of the governor's office for policy planning, will be promoted to vice governors and will replace three of four incumbents, sources close to the matter said.
Koike, herself the first female leader of Japan's capital city, in making the appointments, is seemingly reflecting her push to empower women in society, observers here said.
The proposal will be sent to the metropolitan assembly next Thursday.
Koike is a seasoned politician having served as a lower house member between 1993 and 2016 before she resigned to run in the gubernatorial election, which she won.
She previously held the defense minister portfolio in the Cabinet of Abe, but resigned in August 2007 after just 54 days in office.
Her newly-formed Party of Hope in collaboration with the Democratic Party is aimed at toppling the administration of Abe, Seiji Maehara, head of the Democrats said Friday.
