Yokohama Assembly OKs Mayor's Resignation

Yokohama, Sept. 7 (Jiji Press)--The Yokohama city assembly on Monday unanimously approved the resignation of Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka, effective the same day, after he was found to have engaged in workplace harassment.

Yamanaka, 53, had submitted his resignation on Aug. 28. A third-party investigative committee including lawyers released a report on July 30 confirming that Yamanaka harassed senior officials of the city in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo.

An election to choose Yamanaka's successor will be held on Oct. 18. When asked whether he would run, Yamanaka avoided giving a clear answer. He said he would forgo his retirement allowance.

The local branch of the Liberal Democratic Party is preparing to field 59-year-old lawyer Atsumi Harasawa in the race.

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