Takubo’s diploma controversy sparks police fury, celebrity aspirations in jeopardy

Shizuoka Prefectural Police Conduct Angry Home Search

The investigation by Shizuoka Prefectural Police into former Itō Mayor Maki Takubo (56) over allegations of academic credential falsification is heating up.

On February 14, the prefectural police conducted a seven-hour search of Takubo’s residence in the city, following a criminal complaint accusing him of violating the Local Autonomy Law, among other charges. They seized five boxes of materials.

It was an unusually thorough home search. The police will now examine the seized materials to determine whether the allegations can be formally prosecuted.

“A feeling of ‘We won’t tolerate this!’ must be driving the police. They’re going to go all out,” said a reporter from a national newspaper.

The source of the police’s anger appears to be Takubo’s aggressive resistance.

In prior voluntary questioning, Takubo denied any criminal conduct and remained largely silent on the details. The key document in the allegations—the so-called diploma—was not kept at his home but was instead secured in a safe at the office of his lawyer, Masahiro Fukushima. Takubo’s team also submitted a document to the police on February 12 asserting that, under the Criminal Procedure Law, the police could not seize materials protected by the lawyer’s privilege.

Lawyer privilege, as defined in Article 105 of the Criminal Procedure Law, allows attorneys to refuse seizure of documents concerning third-party secrets under certain conditions. As long as this privilege applies, it is difficult for the police to search the lawyer’s office to confiscate the diploma.

The national reporter added: “Normally, the diploma would be kept at Takubo’s own home. Moving it to a lawyer’s office where seizure can be legally refused gives the impression that he isn’t cooperating with the investigation. If he doesn’t change his approach, an arrest of Takubo could become a real possibility.”

It is already confirmed that Takubo was expelled from Toyo University. The university itself has acknowledged this fact.

Diploma in 19.2 Seconds Nominated for Buzzword of the Year

Even so, Takubo continued to insist,

“I thought I had graduated,”

and went so far as to briefly show what he claimed was the diploma to the city council chair and vice-chair. That brief glimpse—lasting just 19.2 seconds—was enough for the phrase to become so notorious that it was nominated for last year’s Buzzword of the Year award.

The question now centers on what this diploma actually is. As previously noted, Takubo’s side has steadfastly refused any seizure by the prefectural police. If it turns out that this so-called diploma is a forgery, Takubo could face charges for falsifying a private document with a seal.

Police sources have noted:

“Lawyer privilege only applies to materials concerning someone else’s secrets. Takubo brought the document into the council and flashed it for 19.2 seconds. One could argue that the confidential nature of the document was already lost at that moment.”

Either way, Takubo’s situation remains extremely precarious.

After losing last December’s mayoral election, he likely did not expect the matter to escalate to such a high-profile case. A sports newspaper reporter who covered the election commented:

“He was really enjoying himself during the campaign. He didn’t seem to mind that ‘Diploma in 19.2 Seconds’ got nominated for Buzzword of the Year. I think he’s naturally a showy, attention-loving type.”

After his defeat, he once declared,

“I won’t respond to any more media interviews,”

yet soon after appeared on TBS’s year-end special program Sunday Japon.

When this site asked TBS insiders, they revealed:

“We thought he might harbor resentment toward the media, but he agreed without hesitation. During the campaign, he even joked that if he lost, he’d quietly run a small café in his neighborhood. I think he wasn’t entirely opposed to becoming a TV personality. In fact, offers were likely made to him.”

However, those plans now seem to be collapsing under the weight of the prefectural police investigation.

Locals remain strongly critical of Takubo, whose tenure shook the city administration, and many are calling for a full uncovering of the truth. The future of this extraordinary, eccentric mayor remains uncertain.