Key Facts
• Newly elected Mayor Maki Takubo faces academic fraud allegations shortly after taking office.
• Takubo won the mayoral election on May 25, 2025, with 14,684 votes.
• Previously, she secured the lowest seat in the 2023 city council election with 727 votes.
• Anonymous document claims Takubo was expelled from Toyo University, not a graduate.
• Official city publications list her as a 1992 graduate of Toyo University’s Law Department.
• Takubo provided evidence to council leaders but refused to allow copies.
• On June 25, councilor Kazuhiko Sugimoto questioned her academic credentials in a public session.
• Sugimoto noted her absence from Toyo University’s 1992 graduation album.
• Takubo dismissed the allegations as baseless and referred the matter to her attorney.
• The city council plans to establish a powerful investigative committee by July 7, 2025.
• Takubo announced a press conference in early July to address the allegations.
• Toyo University offers same-day issuance of graduation certificates for 1992 alumni.
Summary
Maki Takubo, the newly elected mayor of Ito City, is under scrutiny for alleged academic fraud. An anonymous document claims she was expelled from Toyo University, contradicting her official biography. Despite providing evidence to council leaders, Takubo has refused to allow copies and dismissed the claims as baseless. The city council is moving to establish a powerful investigative committee, with a decision expected by July 7, 2025. Takubo has announced a press conference in early July to clarify the matter. The controversy has drawn attention to her rapid political rise, from securing the lowest seat in the 2023 city council election to winning the mayoral race in 2025. The outcome of the investigation and Takubo’s press conference will be critical in resolving the allegations.
