The town assembly of Hachirogata, located in Japan’s Akita prefecture, has unanimously approved a no-confidence motion to remove Mayor Kikuo Hatakeyama from office. The 72-year-old official, who has led the town since 2008, has been unable to perform his duties since suffering a severe brain hemorrhage in February. The legislative action, scheduled to take effect on May 19, marks a rare instance where a municipal leader is removed due to health-related incapacity.

Local officials described the decision as a difficult but administratively necessary step to ensure the continuity of local governance. While the mayor’s family had previously expressed a desire for his resignation, local regulations stipulate that a resignation must be formally submitted by the mayor himself. Because Hatakeyama’s current medical condition makes it impossible for him to provide the required notification to the assembly chair, the no-confidence vote was determined to be the only legal mechanism to vacate the position.

With a population of approximately 5,000, Hachirogata relies heavily on its agricultural and fishing sectors. The removal of the mayor triggers a requirement for a new election, which is expected to take place within 50 days. The council emphasized that the move was strictly a matter of administrative functionality for the town, which is represented at the prefectural level by a single member of the Akita Prefectural Assembly.