New Mayors Take Office in Nyūzen and Obanazawa, Japan

Jun'ya Nakase, a 48‑year‑old former town council member, was elected unopposed as mayor of Nyūzen in Toyama Prefecture. The uncontested election marks the first time a newcomer has won without a vote since the town’s establishment in 1953. Nakase pledged to address the town’s severe population decline and aging, and to revitalize the central area, reuse the former town hall site, and improve education.

In Obanazawa, Yamagata Prefecture, 34‑year‑old Goro Wakabayashi, running as an independent newcomer, defeated incumbent mayor Yuki Hiro in a contested vote. Wakabayashi received 5,060 votes to Hiro’s 3,064, with a turnout of 71.66 %. He promised to work together with residents to shape the city’s future. The new mayor’s term begins on 12 August and will run for four years.