"If You Fail, Commit Seppuku": Japanese Mayor Resigns Amid Workplace Abuse Scandal

Whistleblower from HR Exposes Misconduct
City Council Factions' Pressure Leads to Resignation

A former university professor who served as mayor in Japan has announced his resignation after it was revealed that he used violent and abusive language toward his subordinates, sparking controversy.

Takeharu Yamanaka. Photo by EPA-Yonhap News

According to NHK and other media outlets on August 28, Takeharu Yamanaka, the 53-year-old mayor of Yokohama City in Kanagawa Prefecture, held a press conference at 4 p.m. that day, stating, "I believe I must bring closure to the disruption caused to municipal affairs," and expressed his intent to step down.

Japanese media reported that prior to the press conference, Mayor Yamanaka had submitted his resignation to the city council. If his resignation is formally accepted, a mayoral election will be held within 50 days. Regarding his future plans, he commented, "All I can do is file my resignation; I cannot think about anything beyond that."

Previously, in January, whistleblowing by former HR director Atsushi Kubota revealed Yamanaka's workplace abuse and harassment, which became an issue.

Subsequently, a third-party investigative committee set up at the request of Yokohama City released an investigation report on July 30, recognizing that Mayor Yamanaka's words and actions "significantly undermined the dignity of employees and deteriorated the work environment, constituting serious workplace abuse that cannot be overlooked."

According to the report, Mayor Yamanaka was found to have yelled at staff while throwing documents onto desks, and in connection with bidding for international conferences, to have made abusive remarks such as, "If you fail, commit seppuku (ritual suicide)."

He was also confirmed to have called staff "human trash," "has-been," and "I will purge you," as well as making finger gestures mimicking a gun pointed at employees.

The report pointed out that "the mayor himself must humbly acknowledge his inappropriate words and actions, and renew his sensitivity to human rights."

After the investigation, Mayor Yamanaka stated, "I take the findings extremely seriously," and, while shedding tears, expressed his desire to remain in office, pledging, "I will do my utmost to rebuild a workplace where employees can feel at ease, and strive to restore trust."

However, as major city council parties—including the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito, and the Constitutional Democratic Party—urged him to resign and finalized their plan to submit a no-confidence motion if he did not step down, the pressure intensified and he ultimately decided to resign.

Meanwhile, Yamanaka was first elected mayor in 2021 after promoting his expertise as a coronavirus specialist while serving as a professor of data science at Yokohama City University, and was re-elected in August last year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.