Fukuoka mayoral election sees record 13 candidates

The Fukuoka mayoral election officially commenced on November 1, 2026, with a record-breaking 13 candidates running for office. All candidates are newcomers, marking the highest number of contestants in a post-war mayoral election for the city and the highest for any of Japan's 20 ordinance-designated cities.

Many candidates are campaigning on the platform of continuing the policies of outgoing Mayor Soichiro Takashima. Due to the large field of candidates, there is a risk that no single individual will receive more than one-quarter of the valid votes, which could trigger a re-election under the Public Offices Election Act.

Key candidates include IT engineer Kentaro Mori, supported by the Conservative Party of Japan, and Junko Katayama, supported by the Japanese Communist Party. Other participants include former House of Representatives member Shuji Inatomi, physician Keiko Yoshitomi, and former city council member Takashi Shirahashi. Major political parties, including the Liberal Democratic Party, Nippon Ishin no Kai, and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, have either declined official endorsement or opted for independent voting.