Key Facts
• Shizuoka’s Ito City Mayor Maki Takubo, 55, claimed a degree from Toyo University.
• Takubo was expelled from Toyo University but showed a fake diploma to claim graduation.
• A whistleblower alleged the diploma was created as a joke by a classmate.
• On August 8, Takubo refused to submit the diploma to the city council for investigation.
• The council’s special committee demanded Takubo testify on August 13.
• If Takubo refuses, the council may file charges for violating local government laws.
• A second whistleblower letter claimed the diploma was handed over at a post-graduation party.
• Witnesses doubted the letter’s credibility, citing the diploma’s professional quality.
• Takubo’s lawyer secured the diploma in a private safe, blocking its seizure.
• Takubo denied receiving the diploma as a joke and sought confirmation from former classmates.
• The first whistleblower letter accurately revealed Takubo’s expulsion, raising questions about its source.
• Allegations suggest the letter’s author may have accessed confidential university records.
Summary
Shizuoka’s Ito City Mayor Maki Takubo faces mounting scrutiny over allegations of academic fraud. Despite being expelled from Toyo University, Takubo presented a fake diploma to claim graduation. A whistleblower alleged the diploma was a classmate’s prank, but its professional quality raised suspicions of external involvement. Takubo refused to submit the diploma for investigation, prompting the city council to consider legal action. A second whistleblower letter claimed the diploma was handed over at a party, but witnesses questioned its credibility. Takubo denied the claims and sought confirmation from former classmates. The first whistleblower letter, which accurately revealed Takubo’s expulsion, has sparked speculation about its source. The controversy has plunged Ito City into chaos, with Takubo’s political future hanging in the balance.
