Maebashi Mayor to Resign over Love Hotel Scandal

Maebashi, Gunma Pref., Nov. 25 (Jiji Press)–Mayor Akira Ogawa of the city of Maebashi, the capital of Gunma Prefecture in eastern Japan, plans to step down following a scandal involving her “love hotel” visits with a married male city employee, it was learned Tuesday. Kimitaka Tomita, speaker of the city’s assembly, told reporters that Ogawa submitted a resignation letter to him. The assembly was all but certain to adopt a motion of no confidence in the mayor in a plenary meeting on Thursday, the first day of a regular session. “I appreciate to a certain extent that (Ogawa) made the decision” to step down, Tomita said. The city assembly will hold meetings of assembly group representatives and of its steering committee on Wednesday to discuss how to handle the resignation letter. In September, Ogawa admitted to visiting a love hotel more than 10 times while knowing that the male city employee was married. She said there was no romantic relationship between them, explaining that they were at the hotel to talk about her problems in her public duties and private life. The city assembly had been pursuing the mayor on the scandal, arguing that she is undermining the city’s image. Ogawa worked as a lawyer and as a Gunma prefectural assembly member before defeating the then incumbent in the 2024 Maebashi mayoral election. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]