Mutsushi City Council approves salary cuts for mayor following embezzlement scandal

The Mutsushi City Council has passed an ordinance to reduce the salaries of the mayor and deputy mayors following a significant embezzlement scandal. The measure follows the discovery that a former fiscal year appointment employee in the Agriculture, Forestry and Livestock Division embezzled over 22 million yen since 2019.

Mayor Tomoya Yamamoto proposed the reduction to take responsibility for management and supervision oversight. Under the approved ordinance, the mayor’s October salary will be reduced by 30%, while the two deputy mayors will each see a 10% reduction for the month.