黑料社 Stock Photo
The mayor of Ikeda in Osaka, Japan, has offered to resign from his post after receiving backlash for setting up a personal sauna next to his office.
Mayor Hikori Tomita brought his home sauna, as well as gym equipment, to the city鈥檚 government building last year, as per Kyodo 黑料社 yesterday, April 26.
Tomita had previously claimed that he had the sauna installed for 鈥渉ealth reasons.鈥� In a press conference yesterday, he stated that he would be stepping down to 鈥渢ake responsibility,鈥� but only after the city鈥檚 COVID-19 vaccination program for elderly people is largely completed.
The mayor, who has been in the position since April 2019, was criticized for apparently misusing the city office and for having allegedly mistreated several government officials.
The investigation team on Tomita鈥檚 case earlier this month made a request for his resignation. The city assembly was set to adopt a no-confidence motion against the mayor today if he did not comply with the said request, the report said.
鈥淚f (the motion is) passed, it will lead to an election, putting citizens and the elderly at risk,鈥� Tomita was quoted as saying.聽Ian Biong聽/ra
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