Despite lacking ties to this city and being described as a poor public speaker, a former social worker won an election here to become the youngest female mayor in Japan.
Shoko Kawata, 33, bested two other candidates on Nov. 12 to win the mayoral election in Yawata, a city of about 70,000 residents south of the ancient capital of Kyoto.
Kawata was backed by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, junior coalition partner Komeito and the main opposition party Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.
Click here to read the full article published by Asahi Shimbun AJW on 13 November 2023.
Image by Asahi Shimbun AJW
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