City Council Committee Urges Mayor to Resign Over False Academic Claims

On July 4, a committee within the Ito city council reached a unanimous decision to submit a resolution urging Mayor Maki Takubo to resign. This action comes after it was disclosed that she had misrepresented her academic qualifications, claiming to have graduated from Toyo University when she had, in fact, been expelled. The committee is also set to propose forming a special investigative committee following guidelines laid out in Japan's Local Autonomy Act, which they anticipate will be approved during a plenary session of the Ito Municipal Assembly on July 7.

The resolution condemns Mayor Takubo, emphasizing her failure to address inquiries regarding her educational background and describing her behavior as "despicable" and indicative of a profound insincerity. Takubo, 55, was newly elected in May, and the official city materials prior to her election misleadingly listed her as a graduate of the university's law program.

City Assembly Speaker Hiromichi Nakajima voiced strong support for her resignation, suggesting that her swift departure would be beneficial to reduce ongoing confusion among the residents of Ito. Following reports on July 2 that confirmed Takubo had been expelled from the university, city officials were inundated with over 200 phone calls that same day, as well as more than 350 the following day, predominantly calling for her resignation. Additionally, nearly 250 emails expressing similar sentiments were received.

Furthermore, a local business person has declared intentions to file a criminal complaint next week, alleging that Takubo's false educational claims might constitute a violation of the Public Offices Election Act during her campaign. On July 4, Takubo did not attend city hall and canceled her participation in a meeting with other mayors in Shizuoka Prefecture, aiming to minimize the potential for confusion. She is also expected to miss the local Matsukawa tub race event on July 6.