Local News

Kagoshima Gov. Yuichiro Ito has issued an admonition to Akune Mayor Shinichi Takemura recommending that a city council session be convened in the ongoing dispute in that city over public finances and salaries. Mayor Takemura ordered that the salary system for the 16 city council members be switched from the current monthly system to a per diem rate of 10,000 yen, effectively reducing their salary from roughly 4 million yen per year to 400,000 yen. He also ordered their annual bonuses to be halved and a reduction in the fixed asset tax, all without council approval. Twelve of the 16 council members are opposed to the mayor’s moves, and requested that he convene a session of the city council to discuss them, but he ignored it. Gov. Ito issued the admonition to convene the city council under the Local Government Act. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications says this is the first time the act has been used in this way in Kyushu.