Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, once seen as a possible first Japanese female Prime Minister, stepped down as leader of the party today. <br/><br/>She suffered a crushing election defeat last month. <br/><br/>Vowing to do away with "old politics," the charismatic former television anchorwoman launched a new party in September that aspired to offer an alternative to the long-governing Liberal Democratic Party and its leader Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the October 22 snap elections.<br/><br/>Her new "Party of Hope" fielded 235 candidates for the poll but won a mere 50 seats while Abe's ruling coalition grabbed a two-thirds majority.<br/><br/>Koike's support imploded partially because she failed to stand herself in the election-confusing voters who did not know who would be premier if she won. The 65-year-old was elected Tokyo governor last year.