YOKOHAMA –
Atsumi Harasawa, a 59-year-old lawyer making her first bid for mayor, gained Yokohama’s mayoral election on October 18, defeating former Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka, whose resignation over allegations of office bullying prompted the vote.
Harasawa celebrated her victory by pledging to work with residents to form town’s future. “I will work hard together with everyone to build Yokohama’s future, and I look forward to your continued support,” she mentioned.
Yamanaka, 54, sought to regain the mayoralty however did not safe re-election after dealing with robust criticism over allegations of energy harassment in opposition to metropolis workers. The controversy, which led to his resignation, turned a serious challenge within the election.
Following his defeat, Yamanaka apologized to his supporters, saying, “I am truly sorry that my own shortcomings have led to this result.”
Voter turnout reached 45.56%, roughly 4 proportion factors increased than within the earlier mayoral election, reflecting elevated voter participation following the controversy surrounding the previous mayor.
Source: TBS