Exposed! Toyo University Journalist Questions Contradictions in Mayor Takubo’s Diploma Claim

“Please, don’t tarnish the name of our alma mater any further. That is my heartfelt wish.”

So says university journalist and Toyo University graduate Reiji Ishiwatari (50). His criticism is directed at Maki Takubo (55), mayor of Itō City in Shizuoka Prefecture, who is embroiled in an academic credential scandal. Ishiwatari, a junior alumnus of Takubo at Toyo University, points out contradictions in Takubo’s defense—while suspicions mount that he never graduated from the Faculty of Law, Takubo insists he has a diploma (the following are Ishiwatari’s comments).

“As he himself has admitted, Takubo was expelled from Toyo University. It is impossible for a university to award a diploma to someone who

has been expelled. Nevertheless, Takubo has made remarks along the lines of, ‘Perhaps my graduation qualification was revoked.’ He did not mention names, but this clearly contradicts Toyo University’s statement that ‘No one is expelled after graduation.’

If, by some chance, it was due to an error by the university, then Takubo should be protesting directly to Toyo. There are many ways to prove his case, such as gathering testimonies from classmates or acquaintances who can confirm, ‘Yes, Takubo graduated.’ And if he truly has a diploma, all he needs to do is present it openly in the city council. The fact that he doesn’t do so only deepens the suspicion.”

Request and issuance also possible at convenience stores

Both Takubo and Ishiwatari entered Toyo University in the 1990s. Ishiwatari recalls his own path to graduation:

“I graduated from Toyo University (Faculty of Sociology) in 1999. I remember struggling with my graduation thesis. I was in a tough seminar led by a professor of urban sociology who boasted, ‘I never give out A grades.’ I wrestled to write a thesis on the impact of gambling—such as horse racing and bicycle racing—on local communities, and somehow managed to scrape by with a B and graduate.

However, for reasons I no longer recall, I skipped the graduation ceremony. That meant I never received the diploma at the ceremony and left the matter unattended for a while. Eventually, since the storage period had passed, Toyo University mailed the diploma to the apartment I was living in at the time. This here is the genuine diploma and the accompanying note from the university (see related images).”

Even if one misses the ceremony, Toyo University still sends out the diploma. Generally, if the diploma in its special holder is lost, it cannot be reissued. However, the graduation certificate—which companies often request for job applications—can be obtained easily.

“In the 1990s, when Takubo and I were students, you could go to the university office and get it issued in about 30 minutes. Today, it can even be requested and issued at convenience stores. So even if Takubo has some clear reason why he cannot show the diploma itself, he could still go to the office and have a graduation certificate issued.”

An Irresponsible Student

There are several possible reasons for Takubo’s expulsion: disciplinary action for criminal behavior, failure to pay tuition, falsification of documents such as forged transcripts at the time of admission Ishiwatari continues:

“If there had been criminal acts or document forgery, it would already have been reported. He himself claims he paid his tuition, so nonpayment seems unlikely. The most plausible explanation is abandonment of studies due to long-term unexcused absences. In his press conference, Takubo even admitted, ‘I was an irresponsible student, and it wasn’t like I regularly attended classes for years on end.’ He may not have registered for courses in his second or third year, leading the university to determine he had abandoned his studies.”

So what lies ahead for Takubo?

“Since he flatly declared that he showed his diploma to the city council chair and vice-chair (according to him, for 19.2 seconds), he may have trapped himself in a position where he cannot back down. If, at an early stage of this scandal, he had admitted his mistake, resigned, and then run for office again, citizens might have viewed him as honorable and re-elected him.

But instead, Takubo has refused to present the diploma and only repeats vague explanations. At this point, even his supporters may turn their backs on him. He has cornered himself into clinging to a desperate claim: ‘I graduated but was later expelled. I have a diploma, but I cannot show it publicly.'”

Now even a fellow alumnus and journalist is pointing out the contradictions in Takubo’s story. The academic fraud scandal has escalated to the point of a criminal complaint being filed, alleging the use of forged private documents.