Female Mayor Who Visited 'Love Hotel' with Married Subordinate Re-elected: "Sympathy Votes from Women Flood In"

Ogawa Akira, former mayor, resigned over affair scandal
Wins by-election by 10,000 votes... returns to office
Analysis: Female voters rallied, SNS strategy proved successful

Akira Ogawa, the former mayor of Maebashi City in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, who resigned after being caught visiting a love hotel with a married male employee, has been re-elected in a by-election to choose her successor and has returned to office. Japanese media analyzed that "sympathy among female voters played a role, and she successfully leveraged the increased number of social networking service (SNS) followers that resulted from the controversy."

Former Mayor Akira Ogawa of Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Screenshot from X (formerly Twitter)

According to local media outlets such as the Asahi Shimbun on the 13th, former Mayor Ogawa won the Maebashi mayoral by-election the previous day, defeating her rival candidate Akira Maruyama by about 10,000 votes. This election was held due to the midterm resignation of former Mayor Ogawa, which was caused by her own inappropriate conduct.

Was caught entering a hotel with a married employee... but succeeded in re-election after resignation

Former Mayor Ogawa was elected in 2024 as the first female mayor of Maebashi. As a progressive female mayor elected in Gunma Prefecture, a conservative stronghold, she quickly became a political figure in the spotlight. However, Ogawa, who is single, sparked controversy last year when it was revealed that she had visited a love hotel ten times with a married male executive. Public outrage intensified when it was discovered that she had visited the hotel even on a day when a record-breaking heavy rain warning was issued in Gunma Prefecture.

At the time, former Mayor Ogawa admitted, "It was highly inappropriate to go to the hotel," but explained, "It was not a romantic relationship. I simply wanted a place to discuss work comfortably without worrying about others' opinions, and that led us to the hotel." Although she initially intended to remain in office, mounting pressure from the city council, including a recommendation to resign and a no-confidence motion, ultimately led her to submit her resignation in November last year.

Former Mayor Akira Ogawa. Instagram capture

The 'turnaround' driven by female voters

Analysts say that the decisive factor in this by-election was the support of female voters. According to local media, during the campaign, former Mayor Ogawa toured downtown shopping districts every evening to deliver street speeches, and women in their 30s and 40s notably rallied around her.

Among female voters, comments such as "A conservative city like Maebashi needs a female leader," "There are far more male politicians who have done worse," and "She made a mistake, but she took responsibility" were frequently heard. Some interpret that her public apologies and bowing on public occasions after the controversy sparked sympathy. The Asahi Shimbun described the result by saying, "Notoriety has defeated anonymity."

Her election strategy utilizing SNS was also effective. After the scandal, Ogawa's followers on X (formerly Twitter) increased to about 14,000, about five times higher than before, and her Instagram followers surpassed 20,000. She communicated directly with her supporters online, boosting her presence, which analysts say translated into real mobilization during the election.

Controversy likely to persist for now

However, the controversy surrounding her return is expected to continue for some time. Those opposed to Ogawa's comeback have voiced criticism such as, "Were there really no other candidates?" "Are the citizens really that foolish?" "Maebashi is full of fools," "I couldn't believe my eyes," "Is this the extent of Japanese ethics and morality?" "I simply can't accept the election result," and "Did she get elected just because she's a woman?"