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Akira Ogawa Re-elected Amid Controversy, Voter Turnout Rises

1/14/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Akira Ogawa, former Maebashi mayor, was re-elected on January 14, 2026, in a five-way race, nearly 63,000 votes.
She finished about 10,000 votes ahead of her nearest rival.
Ogawa stepped down in November 2025 after reports of meetings with a married subordinate at love hotels, which she denied.
Turnout rose to over 47%, up about 8 points from the last election.

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Story summary

Akira Ogawa, former Maebashi mayor, was re-elected on January 14, 2026, in a five-way race, nearly 63,000 votes.
She finished about 10,000 votes ahead of her nearest rival.
Ogawa stepped down in November 2025 after reports of meetings with a married subordinate at love hotels, which she denied.
Turnout rose to over 47%, up about 8 points from the last election.