Mayor Kishiwada, despite the no-confidence motion against him for adultery…did not resign, but “backpedaled” and dissolved the assembly, “weighing in excess of 70 million yen in election expenses”.
“I think it’s a ‘domestic’ issue. I don’t think it disqualifies me as a politician.
Kohei Nagano, 46, mayor of Kishiwada City, Osaka Prefecture, said at a press conference on December 24 after dissolving the city council, which had passed a no-confidence motion against him over his sexual relationship with his adulterous partner. Mayor Nagano was automatically disqualified from office if he did not resign or dissolve the city council by the 30th of this month.
Despite his own affair, Nagano chose to dissolve the council.
Instead of resigning, he dissolved the council as if he was “upset.
At the press conference, the mayor said,
“I don’t understand the content of the no-confidence resolution at all, and I don’t have a good reason for it,” he said.
The mayor is in a state of “backpedaling.
The city council election will be held on January 26, 2010, with the election to be held on February 2. According to the Election Administration Committee, the cost of the city council election is approximately 73 million yen, and the sudden implementation of the election will cost even more.
The city council members are furious, saying, “The one without a cause is you. The city council members were suddenly thrown out of the city hall after the dissolution of the city council, and it was very difficult for them just to pack up their belongings. Many citizens of Kishiwada are also calling for the city council members to take responsibility and quit the council once and for all, instead of wasting taxpayers’ money on elections.
On November 14, the mayor of Kishiwada City apologized and paid 5 million yen to a woman who filed a civil suit seeking damages for sexual relations, and a settlement was reached. According to the attorney for the woman, the records of the lawsuit are restricted from public inspection, but there is no provision in the settlement that prohibits her from talking about it.
The woman’s lawyer released the following comments from the woman
《Even though we have reached a judicial settlement, it does not mean that I have forgiven the defendant. I still feel really frustrated.
When the defendant sent me messages on LINE, he threatened me in a cowardly way that left no evidence, such as immediately canceling the message when I read it. I have been rejecting him as much as I could. The defendant himself should know that better than anyone else.
The defendant specifically revealed how he had been mentally dominated.
Hyogo Governor Saito Resigns Amid No-Confidence Motion in Power Harassment Allegations
According to a statement by the woman’s lawyer, when she was blindfolded at the hotel, someone came into her room and forced her to engage in sexual acts without her consent with two people other than the mayor, and then the mayor forced her to engage in sexual acts with him as well. Mayor Nagano said that on his way home, he told the mayor, “I can’t do this to my wife. He said, “I can’t do this to my wife, thank you. The woman has given specific details of the situation, but Mayor Nagano denies all knowledge of it, saying, “Absolutely not, it’s outrageous. Since he has already made a settlement, this fact will probably end up as a water cooler.
Local governments operate under a system of “dual representation,” in which local residents directly elect both the head of the local government and the members of the local assembly.
When Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito was also subjected to a no-confidence motion due to power harassment and other issues, the assembly continued and he resigned as governor. The mayor of Kishiwada, however, shelved his own affair problem and dissolved the assembly. This could be seen as an outrage.
On December 24, he held a press conference with his wife present. This is very unusual, but it emphasizes the fact that “adultery is a family matter,” and that his wife is “still an important member of the family.
My wife commented in front of the camera, “I am still an important member of the family.
His wife also commented in front of the camera, “We are still an important part of the family,” and appealed to the audience that they were on good terms.
Mayor Nagano has decided to run for the city council with 73 million yen of blood taxes. What kind of decision will the citizens of Kishiwada make?
PHOTO: Kyodo News