Overview
- Nine candidates formally entered the Itō, Shizuoka, mayoral election, including former mayor Maki Takubo, ex-mayor Tatsuya Ono backed by the LDP prefectural chapter, and former councilor Kenya Sugimoto backed by the DPFP prefectural chapter.
- Balloting is set for December 14 following Takubo’s loss of office after two no-confidence votes earlier this fall.
- Takubo acknowledged in July that she was not a university graduate as previously claimed, a disclosure that triggered political turmoil and months of stalled city governance.
- Vote-splitting is a central concern because a new election must be called if no candidate secures at least one-quarter of valid votes, a process that would occur within 50 days after the January 5 objection period.
- On the trail, Takubo is stressing reform while steering clear of the credentials issue, as rivals intensify criticism and promise to stabilize city administration.