Yokohama Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka submitted his resignation to the city assembly chair on Friday, following a series of confirmed harassment allegations. The resignation is expected to be approved by the full assembly early next month, which would prompt a mayoral election within 50 days.

The decision comes after a third-party investigation validated seven instances of misconduct involving Yamanaka, with calls for his resignation from the city assembly's three main political parties: the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), and Komeito. Yamanaka, 53, acknowledged the seriousness of his actions, stating that he had not fully considered the impact of his words and behavior on those around him.

Yamanaka was first elected mayor in 2021, defeating the incumbent and a candidate supported by then-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. A former professor at Yokohama City University specializing in medicine and data science, he emphasized a “data-driven” approach to municipal management and had served on governmental committees related to science, technology, and education policy. He secured a second term in 2025 with backing from the LDP, CDP, and Komeito, winning by a margin of nearly 400,000 votes.

The controversy began in January when senior city official Atsushi Kubota publicly accused Yamanaka of power harassment. The subsequent investigation report released at the end of July detailed numerous examples, including Yamanaka verbally abusing Kubota, confiscating documents, threatening suicide if the city’s bid to host an international conference failed, simulating shooting gestures toward Kubota, insulting senior officials as “human scum” and “useless,” and barring certain officials from entering the mayor’s office.

During a meeting with city assembly members on August 13, Yamanaka said he had not initially recognized his behavior as harassment but expressed regret for the distress it caused. The following day, the LDP, Komeito, and CDP factions in the assembly demanded his resignation or threatened to proceed with a no-confidence vote. These parties collectively hold a majority in the assembly.

Once the resignation is ratified, an election will be scheduled within 50 days. It remains uncertain who will run to succeed Yamanaka and whether the major parties will unite behind a single candidate as they did in previous elections. The incoming mayor will oversee preparations for the International Horticultural Expo set to take place next year, an event expected to boost Yokohama’s economy and receiving national government support.