Photo/Illutration Kazumi Inamura, a former mayor of Amagasaki in Hyogo Prefecture, announces that she will run in the prefectural gubernatorial election in Kobe on Oct. 8. (Itsuki Soeda)

KOBE—Kazumi Inamura, a former Amagasaki mayor in Hyogo Prefecture, announced on Oct. 8 that she will run for the prefectural governor's seat that was recently vacated by scandal-ridden incumbent Motohiko Saito. 

Inamura held a news conference that day at the prefectural government's building.

Her candidacy follows Saito losing the position after the prefectural assembly unanimously passed a no-confidence motion against him on Sept. 19. 

The election campaign period will officially start Oct. 31 and the election will be held on Nov. 17.

Inamura, 51, who also previously served as a prefectural assembly member, said she decided to run due to a whistleblower document scandal involving Saito, which accused him and others of abusive and corrupt actions. 

“I am determined not to let the confusion and stagnation in the prefectural government continue as is,” she said. 

Inamura said she was personally approached by people related to the prefectural assembly and others about running for office.

She said she will be committed to examining the response to the whistleblower document issue and enacting an ordinance to prevent power harassment, which would also apply to the governor and vice governor.

Regarding free tuition at prefectural universities, which was Saito’s key initiative, she said, “There may be room to consider a scholarship system that covers a wider range of young people,” assuming that those already eligible for the scholarship are not disadvantaged.

Inamura is originally from Nara Prefecture.

After serving two terms as a Hyogo prefectural assembly member, she ran in Amagasaki city's 2010 mayoral election and won.

She was 38, making her the youngest female mayor in Japan at the time, and served three terms until 2022.

For the gubernatorial election, at least six candidates including Saito and Inamura have declared their intention to run.

Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) is considering supporting Takayuki Shimizu, 50, an Upper House member.

Minoru Nakamura, 62, a former economy ministry bureaucrat, is expected to run as well.

Yoshikiyo Osawa, a 61-year-old doctor, is endorsed by the Japanese Communist Party.

Chozo Nakagawa, 68, a former mayor of Kasai city in the prefecture, is also running.

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