Key Facts
• July 3, 2025: Niigata City Council rejected Mayor Yaichi Nakahara’s salary reduction proposal.
• Proposal aimed to reduce the mayor’s salary by 10% for one month.
• Debt write-off: $90 million loan to Nishibori Rosa’s operating company approved.
• March 2025: Nishibori Rosa underground shopping mall ceased operations.
• $145 million supplementary budget passed during the June council session.
• Debate centered on mayor’s responsibility and adequacy of proposed salary reduction.
• First rejection of a mayoral proposal in Niigata since 1975.
• Mayor Nakahara pledged to address Nishibori Rosa’s future with urgency.
Summary
The Niigata City Council rejected Mayor Yaichi Nakahara’s proposal to reduce his salary by 10% for one month, intended as accountability for the $90 million debt write-off involving Nishibori Rosa’s operating company. While the debt write-off was approved, council members debated the mayor’s responsibility and whether the proposed reduction was appropriate. This marks the first rejection of a mayoral proposal in Niigata in 50 years. Mayor Nakahara expressed his commitment to addressing the future of Nishibori Rosa with urgency and ensuring public satisfaction.
