Former Japanese Mayor Who Allegedly Falsified Academic Records Questioned by Police

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:21 JST, January 30, 2026

The former mayor of Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture, who lost her job due to allegations that she had falsified her academic credentials, is being questioned by the Shizuoka prefectural police, a police source said.

Maki Takubo, 55, is accused of falsifying her education, stating that she graduated from Toyo University. Citizens asked police to investigate it as a criminal case for violating the Public Offices Election Law.

The questioning took place on a voluntary basis on Thursday. When police asked Takubo to submit a document that she had shown to city officials, which was said to be a graduation certificate, she declined to respond, according to the source.

Takubo confirmed to The Yomiuri Shimbun on Friday that she had been questioned and said, “I will continue to cooperate if requested.”

Takubo lost her job after two no-confidence votes by the city assembly, and ran for mayor in December but failed to win.