Key Facts
• December 21, 2025: Nanjo mayoral election held after former mayor’s resignation over misconduct.
• Noriyuki Oshiro, 57, an independent and former prefectural assembly member, wins decisively.
• Rival candidate Kazuhito Zaha, 66, supported by LDP, Komeito, and DPFP, falls short.
• Oshiro campaigned independently, cycling through neighborhoods to expand support in the Osato area.
• Voter turnout: 54.89%, lowest since 2006, with 36,672 eligible voters.
• Oshiro’s platform includes workplace reforms, harassment prevention, and attracting high schools and vocational schools.
• Born September 19, 1968, Oshiro has served as a village and city councilor and a two-term prefectural assembly member.
Summary
Noriyuki Oshiro, 57, has been elected as the new mayor of Nanjo City, Okinawa, following the resignation of the previous mayor over a sexual harassment scandal. Oshiro, an independent candidate and former prefectural assembly member, defeated Kazuhito Zaha, 66, who was backed by major political parties. Oshiro’s grassroots campaign, which avoided party affiliations, focused on local engagement and expanding support in his home region of Osato. His platform emphasized workplace reforms, harassment prevention, and educational development. Voter turnout was 54.89%, the lowest since the city’s formation in 2006. Oshiro’s extensive political experience includes roles as a village and city councilor and two terms in the prefectural assembly.
