Japanese Council Votes to Remove Unconscious Mayor

A city council in Japan has voted to remove its mayor after he remained unconscious for several months following a brain hemorrhage.

Kikuo Hatakeyama, the 72-year-old mayor of Hachirogata, a city in north-eastern Japan, fell ill in February. Local assembly members unanimously passed a no-confidence motion, meaning he will automatically lose office on 19 May.

The Japan Association of City and Municipal Councils said it was rare for a mayor to face censure because of illness. Assembly members described the motion as a difficult decision, but said it was necessary for administrative reasons.

Hatakeyama’s wife had asked the council last month to consider whether he could continue in office. She also said the best solution would be for him to resign, according to the Japan Times.

Local rules, however, require the mayor to inform the council president of his resignation in person. The city said a resignation request made by the family would therefore be invalid, leaving censure as the fastest way to remove him from office.

(bbc, lud)