Overview
- In Kamisu, Ibaraki, both candidates received 16,724 votes and a statutory lottery decided the outcome, after which incumbent Susumu Ishida’s camp filed a formal objection seeking a recheck of ballots.
- Ishida’s side argues some of the 219 invalid ballots appear countable due to minor writing errors, and the city election commission will consider whether to accept the objection.
- In Okinawa’s Nanjo, 18 of 20 newly elected city council members say they will back a renewed no-confidence motion over the mayor’s sexual‑harassment scandal, making his ouster effectively inevitable.
- The Sapporo High Court judged July’s upper‑house election to be in a state approaching unconstitutionality due to a maximum 3.13‑to‑1 vote‑value gap, while rejecting a bid to annul the results.
- Sakata City, Yamagata, carried out an emergency cull of three bears reported in a persimmon tree with no injuries, as the Kyushu Grand Sumo opened in Fukuoka following a safety ritual and a rare first‑day ticket sellout.