Overview

• Nanjō’s city council approved a no-confidence motion against Mayor Keishun Koja over sexual-harassment findings, with 15 of 18 members present voting in favor.
• A third-party panel had identified conduct including kissing and touching employees’ thighs, and newly published audio appeared to show an effort to silence a victim.
• Koja has denied wrongdoing and said he would consult on his response, as the Local Autonomy Law requires him to resign or dissolve the council within 10 days.
• In Ginan, Gifu Prefecture, former mayor Hideo Kojima—who resigned after a probe found 99 acts of sexual harassment and bullying language toward staff—began his term as a town councilor.
• Several employees who reported harassment in Ginan still work at the town office, prompting safety and protection concerns, and Kojima declined to address the issue when questioned.