Jiji Press TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Following Tokyo Gov. Yoichi Masuzoe’s resignation announcement earlier this week, the metropolitan government’s Election Administration Commission decided at an extraordinary meeting Friday to hold a gubernatorial election on July 31.

The official campaign period was set to start on July 14, four days after the House of Councillors election.

According to the commission, Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly President Shigeo Kawai noticed the commission on Thursday of Masuzoe’s resignation over money and other scandals.

Initially, the commission also considered setting the election for Aug. 7. But it had to drop the idea because the Tokyo poll must take place within 50 days of the acceptance of the resignation notice under the public offices election law.

Tokyo will have the fourth governor’s race in only five years after the April 2011 contest, in which Shintaro Ishihara won his fourth term. A Tokyo gubernatorial election is estimated to cost about ¥5 billion.Speech