A head of a local government in Japan has admitted to visiting love hotels multiple times with a married employee, sparking controversy.
According to local outlets Asahi TV and NHK on the 26th, Ogawa Akira, the mayor of Maebashi in Gunma Prefecture (42), held an emergency press conference on the night of the 24th and said, "I visited hotels multiple times with a specific employee." Mayor Ogawa said, "There were no relations between a man and a woman inside the hotel," but added, "I am deeply reflecting on my rash behavior that could cause misunderstanding."
She said, "I went to the hotel with the employee to talk about work comfortably without worrying about people watching," adding, "I did use an official car to get to the meeting place on some occasions, but I covered the entire hotel expense out of my own pocket."
Earlier, a Japanese weekly reported, "Mayor Ogawa visited love hotels multiple times with a married employee between July and September this year," and "Although Mayor Ogawa is single, she went to the hotel even though she knew the employee was married." According to the report, Mayor Ogawa visited love hotels with the employee more than 10 times.
In particular, it was confirmed that they also went to a hotel on the 10th of this month, when record heavy rain prompted warnings in Gunma Prefecture, intensifying the controversy. In response, Mayor Ogawa explained, "At the time, no warning had been issued, and I was reachable, so I thought there was no problem."
She stated, "I am sorry for visiting a place that could ordinarily cause misunderstanding," and added, "I will decide my future course after discussions with attorneys and others." Mayor Ogawa, a former attorney, is Maebashi's first female mayor.