The 2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election in July stood out for its large field of candidates, many of whom were unknowns from the fringes. One independent was a familiar face to many in Japan, however.
Yoshiro Nakamatsu, better known as “Dr. Nakamats,” is one of Japan’s most famous inventors and was making his eighth bid for governor. Having just turned 96 when ballots were cast, he was the oldest candidate in the race, and while he didn’t win, his willingness to challenge Gov. Yuriko Koike presented a prime example of can-do optimism for a rapidly aging Japan.
Nakamats’ last-minute campaign was thrown together at the behest of friends and supporters who didn’t want Koike to win a third term. He mounted it despite a number of health issues in recent years, including a cancer diagnosis in 2014, a stroke in 2021 and a heart attack in 2023.