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The Mainichi
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Outgoing mayor in Japan's Shizuoka Pref. apologizes over suspected fake academic record
ITO, Shizuoka -- Amid the controversy over falsely claiming to have graduated from Toyo University, the mayor of Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture, apologized to executives and other employees of the municipal government July 8, a day after announcing her intention to resign. Mayor Maki Takubo, who was actually expelled from the university, also issued an apology to residents on the city's website. Following the scandal, some tour agents have apparently canceled tours to the hot spring resort city. In a brief apology during a policy meeting with city executives on the afternoon of July 8, Takubo stated, "I caused inconvenience for a personal reason." Later that evening, she apologized in front of about 100 staff members gathered in the city hall's large conference room. Following the policy meeting, Tsuyoshi Chikamochi, head of the city's planning department, told reporters, "We want to resolve divisions and confusion in the city as soon as possible. We have received cancellations from tourist agents saying they don't want to visit Ito." During a press conference on the night of July 7, Takubo admitted to approving the description of her university graduation in the city's public relations magazine. However, she reiterated her claim, stating, "I believed I had graduated until June 28 (when it was confirmed I was expelled)." Regarding the "graduation certificate" Takubo presented when requested by the city assembly speaker and vice speaker, and which she plans to submit to the Shizuoka District Public Prosecutors Office, the mayor claimed, "I believe it is genuine. My memory is vague as to how I obtained it." Her attorney who attended the press conference said of the "graduation certificate" and other documents, "We cannot easily disclose crucial evidence that may become subject to investigation (by law enforcement)" on the grounds that the mayor is facing a criminal complaint by citizens over an alleged violation of the Public Offices Election Act. Hiromichi Nakajima, speaker of the assembly, which passed a resolution urging the mayor to step down, described Takubo's resignation announcement as "a prudent decision." Takubo plans to submit a letter of explanation to prosecutors within two weeks and will resign promptly thereafter. According to the Public Offices Election Act, a mayoral election will be held within 50 days of her resignation. (Japanese original by Koji Wakai, Ito Local Bureau)
6 days ago
- Politics
Shizuoka City's Mayor Urged to Resign over Academic Record Scandal
News from Japan Jul 7, 2025 17:59 (JST) Ito, Shizuoka Pref., July 7 (Jiji Press)--The city assembly of Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, on Monday unanimously adopted a nonbinding resolution urging Mayor Maki Takubo to resign over allegations that she lied about her academic record. The assembly also unanimously decided to set up a special committee under the local autonomy law to investigate the scandal. "I take the decision seriously," Takubo told reporters after a plenary meeting of the assembly, adding that she will hold a press conference later on Monday. Takubo had claimed to have graduated from Toyo University, but on Wednesday, she admitted that she was actually expelled from the university. "We want (Takubo) to decide what to do based on the resolution," the assembly's speaker, Hiromichi Nakajima, told reporters separately. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Asahi Shimbun
6 days ago
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
Ito assembly asks mayor to resign for false education claim
ITO, Shizuoka Prefecture—Less than two months after being elected, Ito Mayor Maki Takubo has been asked to resign for claiming to have graduated from Toyo University in Tokyo—when she had actually been expelled. The Ito municipal assembly on July 7 unanimously passed two resolutions: one recommending that Takubo step down, the other calling for establishing a special investigative committee to look into the allegations that she falsified information about her background intentionally. Prior to the vote, an assembly member said that Takubo had ridiculed the citizens of Ito with her actions. No assembly member spoke against the two resolutions. After the assembly session, Takubo met with reporters and said she would hold a news conference that evening to announce her plans. Takubo was elected mayor on May 25, unseating the incumbent candidate. While the resolution calling on Takubo to resign is not binding, the special investigative committee is expected to look into the city newsletter issued in July in which Takubo is described as a Toyo graduate. Takubo later explained that she had mistakenly believed that she received her degree. Municipal assembly members will investigate whether Takubo intentionally falsified her academic credentials. Meanwhile, Ito residents are also planning to submit a criminal complaint alleging that Takubo violated the Public Offices Election Law by submitting a document that contained false information about her background to media organizations before the election. At a July 2 news conference, Takubo said she had been expelled from Toyo, but also claimed she did not violate the Public Offices Election Law. Municipal assembly members criticized her response as being irresponsible and only trying to save her position. Soon after the mayoral election, anonymous letters were sent to all 19 municipal assembly members raising doubts about Takubo's educational background. At the June 25 assembly plenary session, one member who obtained a copy of the graduation yearbook for Toyo said Takubo's name could not be found in it. However, Takubo did not reveal that she had not actually graduated until the news conference a week later.
The Mainichi
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Mayor in Japan's Shizuoka Pref. faces call for resignation over faked academic record
ITO, Shizuoka -- A city council committee here unanimously decided on July 4 to submit a resolution to the assembly urging Mayor Maki Takubo to resign over revelations she falsely claimed to have graduated from Toyo University when she had in fact been expelled. The steering committee will also present a resolution calling for a special investigative committee to be established under Japan's Local Autonomy Act. Both proposals will be presented and are expected to be passed at an Ito Municipal Assembly plenary session July 7. The resignation resolution criticized Mayor Takubo, 55, for repeatedly deflecting questions or refusing to respond when confronted about her academic background by the city assembly. The text stated, "This goes beyond merely lacking sincerity, and is even despicable." Takubo was first elected in May this year. An official city bulletin introducing the new mayor listed her as a graduate of Toyo University's Department of Law. City Assembly Speaker Hiromichi Nakajima urged the mayor to step down in remarks to reporters, saying, "I hope she resigns quickly to prevent further confusion for Ito." According to city officials, after reports emerged July 2 confirming the mayor had been expelled and had falsely claimed to have graduated, the city received over 200 telephone calls regarding the case that day alone, followed by more than 350 calls the next day. The city also received about 250 emails across both days, almost all of them demanding the mayor's resignation. In addition, a local business operator announced plans to file a criminal complaint early next week, alleging a possible violation of the Public Offices Election Act due to Takubo's false educational claims during the mayoral race. Takubo did not come to the city hall on July 4 and canceled a planned appearance that day in a meeting of mayors from eastern Shizuoka Prefecture to avoid causing confusion. The mayor is also due to skip the Matsukawa tub race, a local event scheduled for July 6. (Japanese original by Koji Wakai, Ito Local Bureau)
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
WV Senate Health committee advances bill allowing over-the-counter sale of ivermectin
Sen. Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, attends the Senate Committee on Health and Human Resources meeting on March 4, 2025 in Charleston, (Will Price | West Virginia Legislative Photography) Lawmakers on the West Virginia Senate Health Committee advanced a bill Tuesday that, if made law, will allow pharmacists in the state to sell ivermectin for human use over the counter and without a prescription. Senate Bill 614 hinges upon the federal Food and Drug Administration approving the drug — which is commonly prescribed for animals to treat some parasites — for human use in wider circumstances than currently allowed. Different formulations of ivermectin that are made specifically for humans are, occasionally, prescribed to treat people with topical conditions or infections that stem from parasitic worms, according to the FDA. While some medical providers have prescribed the drug for off-label uses — meaning uses different than what clinical trials have shown it is safe and effective to treat and what it's been approved for by the FDA — the federal government does not recommend that they do so. Interest in and pushes for the wider use of ivermectin became common during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, when people alleged that the drug could help treat infections from the virus. To date, no clinical trials or peer-reviewed evidence have been accepted by the FDA to support such claims. The drug became a common talking point for COVID-19 conspiracists and, due to this misinformation, health leaders urged the public not to use the drug for off-label purposes, citing concerns over other medications that could be contraindicated and different formulations of it that could be safe for animal consumption but not for humans. In the Senate Health committee on Tuesday, Sen. Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, said there could be some risk in taking the drug. Takubo, who is a doctor by trade, continued by saying this could be especially true if people are unaware of how it interacts with other medications and in situations where a patient isn't being monitored by a health care provider. 'So there are some concerns,' Takubo said. 'Ivermectin, for the most part, is a pretty well-tolerated medication when taken in appropriate doses.' Takubo said potential side effects of the drug include changes to the heart's rhythm which could, in serious circumstances, lead to fatal arrhythmia. The drug has also been shown, Takubo said, to potentially increase liver toxicity in patients, especially if taken at the wrong dosages. During COVID-19 — specifically, Takubo said, 'early on, when we really had nothing' to treat the infections — Takubo worked in an intensive care unit where ivermectin was being used on patients admitted with severe coronavirus infections. In those circumstances, however, patients were being closely monitored by physicians. They would receive daily electrocardiograms so providers could survey heart functions and doctors would regularly test liver enzymes to ensure the drug wasn't leading to unintended risks. 'So if you're taking any medications that also affect heart rhythm or affect liver function, etc, it can potentiate that and cause that,' Takubo said. '… My concern is, if a patient doesn't get the proper education there could be some adverse consequences of that.' SB 614, as it is currently written, says that pharmacists 'shall provide the patient with the FDA-approved patient information sheet on Ivermectin at the time of sale.' Over-the-counter medications, however, don't necessarily require that a pharmacist be involved when they are purchased. The bill also states that pharmacists will not be held liable for any adverse interactions that come from someone purchasing ivermectin from them. In committee, a conceptual amendment from Sen. Tom Willis, R-Berkeley, would have made it so the ivermectin would only be available 'behind the counter,' but still without a prescription. That way, he said, the pharmacist could 'have conversation with the patient' and look for 'possible conflicts' that could arise from other prescribed medications. Sen. Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, said that while it's clear no one wants anyone to be taking a medication that is contraindicated against their other medications, a risk of such will always exist with over-the-counter medications. Look at Tylenol, she said. Willis said that he didn't believe Tylenol and ivermectin are comparable in this circumstance. 'I'm a freemarket-guy, and I'm a big-boy-pants-guy in general, and I want as few restrictions on decisions as possible, but it's a question of where this lands on the risk continuum,' Willis said. 'So as I would understand it — and again, I'm not an expert — but Tylenol would be lower on the risk continuum than ivermectin when you're talking about confluence with other drugs.' After further discussion, however, Willis pulled his amendment since the bill — as it currently stands — would only be relevant if the FDA took steps to approve the drug and change its labeled use in the first place. The bill passed the committee via voice vote and will now advance to the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration before it goes before the whole Senate. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
