Photo/Illutration Maki Takubo, mayor of Ito in Shizuoka Prefecture, attends an extraordinary session of the municipal assembly on Oct. 31, where members once again called for her dismissal. (Noboru Tomura)

ITO, Shizuoka Prefecture–The municipal assembly here voted overwhelmingly on Oct. 31 to remove Mayor Maki Takubo following a second no-confidence motion, ending her fight to stay in office amid allegations of falsifying her academic credentials.

The decision, passed by a vote of 19 to 1 during an extraordinary session, marks the end of Takubo’s 156-day tenure and sets the stage for a new mayoral election, expected to be held Dec. 14.

Takubo, who won her first term in May, had claimed to have graduated from Toyo University in Tokyo in campaign materials and official city publications.

However, in June, an anonymous message sent to all assembly members raised doubts about her academic claim.

By early July, Takubo admitted she had been expelled from the university’s registry, sparking public outcry. Her initial announcement to resign, followed by an abrupt reversal weeks later, further fueled political turmoil.

Despite an initial no-confidence vote on Sept. 1, Takubo refused to resign or accept dismissal, opting instead to dissolve the 20-seat assembly and call a snap election.

However, 18 former assembly members who supported the no-confidence motion were re-elected on Oct. 19, making her removal all but certain.

During the Oct. 31 session, the assembly reappointed Hiromichi Nakajima and Yoshihiro Aoki as chair and vice chair, respectively. Both played leading roles in the campaign against Takubo.

Takubo has been criminally accused by citizens and the assembly on multiple charges, including violations of the Public Offices Election Law.

She has not yet announced whether she will run in the upcoming election.

Meanwhile, five candidates have declared their intent to run, including former Mayor Tatsuya Ono, who lost to Takubo by a narrow margin in May.

Former assembly member Kazuya Sugimoto, who placed third in the 2023 assembly race, is also expected to run for the post.

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