Dissolution of Ito City Assembly: Mayor Takubo’s Decision is Preposterous

Editorial

15:38 JST, September 11, 2025

Despite causing mistrust through her own actions, Maki Takubo, the mayor of Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture, never acknowledges any fault and continues to disrupt the city government. It must be said that her decision to dissolve the city assembly is preposterous.

Regarding the issue of Takubo allegedly falsifying her academic background as being a “graduate of Toyo University,” the assembly unanimously passed a no-confidence motion against her on the first day of its September regular session. In response, Takubo refused to resign or lose her post, and instead dissolved the assembly.

Citing as a reason for the decision, Takubo criticized the assembly, stating, “Important deliberations and votes at the assembly were abandoned on the very first day [of the regular session].” She added, “I thought we should seek a judgment from residents.”

Takubo’s argument is utterly lacking in legitimacy. The assembly passed the no-confidence motion because her handling of this issue has been markedly devoid of sincerity.

After a document containing the accusation reached assembly members in early June, Takubo presented what she claimed was a “diploma” to the assembly speaker and other executive officials, initially denying the allegations.

However, in late June, she personally visited the university and confirmed her expulsion from the university. Her explanation that she had long been unaware of her expulsion is utterly incomprehensible.

An investigative report by the assembly’s so-called Article 100 Committee said that “[Takubo] was aware that she had been expelled from the university, but she presented a diploma that was not genuine to city executive officials and others.” The fact that this issue has escalated to accusations of submitting a counterfeit private document is a serious matter.

Dissolving an assembly is a power granted to heads of local governments under the Local Autonomy Law.

However, this provision is intended for certain situations, such as changing the composition of the assembly’s members when there is a policy conflict. Questions cannot be dispelled regarding the provision’s application in Ito’s case.

Voting and ballot counting for the assembly election is expected to be held in mid-October. If a no-confidence motion passes again in the newly elected assembly, Takubo will automatically lose her post, triggering a mayoral election. Prolonged turmoil risks damaging the tourist industry, which is the foundation of the city’s economy, thus only deepening residents’ distrust.

There have been several cases in recent years in which assemblies presented a no-confidence motion against heads of local governments. Hyogo Gov. Motohiko Saito has consistently evaded responsibility, despite a third-party investigative body commissioned by the prefectural government determining that his handling of a whistleblower report was illegal. This has led to ongoing turmoil in the prefectural government.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba suffered defeat in the House of Councillors election in July as the president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. While mentioning “my own responsibility,” Ishiba also stayed in power, creating a political vacuum lasting as many as 50 days.

Those in public positions can fulfill their duties only by earning the trust of the people of the nation and local residents. There has been a spate of cases in which officials stay in power without this awareness. This is a grave situation affecting the very foundation of democracy.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 11, 2025)