- Women Mayors writers
- Jun 2
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 3
Japanese women mayors
Tokyo’s female mayor Yuriko Koike: “The agenda for women’s advancement should be the same in all communities, from small villages to large cities. It’s a common agenda we have to face, whether for education, industry and for vitalising the economies.”
Japanese women mayors (from left to right): Kazuko Köri, Mayor of Sendai; Yuriko Koike, Mayor of Tokyo; Junko Kawamata, Mayor of Nasukarasuyama
June 2025: Japan, the world’s fifth-largest economy by GDP (after the US, China, Germany and India) and 12th largest country by population, is a unitary state, governed at the national level by a Prime Minister and Cabinet largely chosen from the bi-cameral National Diet. The two-tier local government system in Japan is composed of 47 prefectural governments (roughly akin to a county), each headed by a directly-elected Governor (elected on a four-year term) and 1,719 municipalities, each headed by a directly-elected Mayor (elected likewise).
While Japanese mayors are directly elected for four-year terms with no term limits, most candidates prefer to stand as independents and are then backed by local chapters of the main national parties. Mayors can be subject to recall through a residents’ petition, provided basic thresholds are met. City mayors are also assisted in their duties by vice mayors. However, the city assembly must then ratify any appointment, and in some cases, mayors have requested vice mayors be seconded from the central government to assist them in policy coordination.
Local government is responsible for imposing duties or restricting rights through by-laws, enforcing the by-laws, enacting regulations, fixing the budget, levying local taxes, and performing its community affairs.
Of Japan’s 20 ‘Designated cities’, each with populations above 700,000, only one, Sendai, has a female mayor. However, Tokyo, which enjoys a special status within Japan, has been governed by a woman since 2016. Yuriko Koike holds the title ‘governor’ rather than ‘mayor’.
Japanese towns and cities with women mayors
Listed by prefectures from north to south of the country
(Prefectures named in brackets)
Rusutsu (Hokkaido Prefecture)
Popl: 2,000
Mayor: Hisako Sato
In office since: 2021
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Sotogahama (Aomori Prefecture)
Popl: 5,000
Mayor: Yuiko Yamazaki
In office since: 2017
Previous positions: Company director
Sendai (Miyagi Prefecture)
Popl: 1.1 million
Mayor: Kazuko Köri
In office since: 2017
Previous positions: Member of parliament (the Diet)
Ohira (Miyagi Prefecture)
Popl: 6,000
Mayor: Hiromi Ogawa
In office since: n/a
Previous positions: n/a
Sakata (Yamagata) Prefecture
Popl: 97,000
Mayor: Akiko Yaguchi
In office since: 2023
Previous positions: Professor at Tohoku University; Deputy mayor from 2016 to 2022
Yuza (Yamagata Prefecture)
Popl: 13,000
Mayor: Yumi Matsunaga
In office since: 2024
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Tsuchiura (Ibaraki Prefecture)
Popl: 142,000
Mayor: Mariko Ando
In office since: 2019
Previous positions: Member of the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly
Tochigi (Tochigi Prefecture)
Popl: 152,000
Mayor: Hideko Okawa
In office since: 2018
Previous positions: Chairperson of the city council
Nasukarasuyama (Tochigi Prefecture)
Popl: 26,000
Mayor: Junko Kawamata
In office since: 2017
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Nogi (Tochigi Prefecture)
Popl: 25,000
Mayor: Hiroko Mase
In office since: 2008
Previous positions: Art teacher, Public official
Maebashi (Gunma Prefecture)
Popl: 336,000
Mayor: Akira Ogawa
In office since: 2024
Previous positions: Member of the Gunma Prefectural Assembly
Shinto (Mie Prefecture)
Popl: 17,000
Mayor: Chiharu Minami
In office since: 2023
Previous positions: Chairperson of the city council;
Gyoda (Saitama Prefecture)
Popl: 81,000
Mayor: Kuniko Kouda
In office since: 2023
Previous positions: Member of the Japanese parliament (the Diet)
Soka (Saitama Prefecture)
Popl: 250,000
Mayor: Yuriko Yamakawa
In office since: 2022
Previous positions: Member of the Japanese parliament (the Diet)
Wako (Saitama Prefecture)
Popl: 85,000
Mayor: Mitsuko Shibasaki
In office since: 2021
Previous positions: Company director
Hasuda (Saitama Prefecture)
Popl: 62,000
Mayor: Kyoko Yamaguchi
In office since: 2022
Previous positions: Member of the Saitama Prefectural Assembly
Nagatoro (Saitama Prefecture)
Popl: 7,000
Mayor: Takie Osawa
In office since: 2013
Previous positions: Director of the Social Welfare Association
Kashiwa (Chiba Prefecture)
Popl: 436,000
Mayor: Kazumi Ota
In office since: 2021
Previous positions: Member of the Japanese parliament (the Diet)
Katsuura (Chiba Prefecture)
Popl: 17,000
Mayor: Yumiko Terukawa
In office since: 2022
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Kamagaya (Chiba Prefecture)
Popl: 110,00s
Mayor: Hiromi Shibata
In office since: 2021
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Kimitsu (Chiba Prefecture)
Popl: 83,000
Mayor: Hiroko Ishii
In office since: 2018
Previous positions: Member of the Chiba Prefectural Assembly
Tako (Chiba Prefecture)
Popl: 15,000
Mayor: Tomiko Hirayama
In office since: 2022
Previous positions: School principal
Tokyo (Tokyo Metro region)
Popl: 14 million
Mayor: Yuriko Koike
In office since: 2016
Previous positions: Member of Parliament (1993 to 2003); Environment Minister (2003); Minister of Defence (2007 to 2010);
Minato (Tokyo Metro region)
Popl: 261,000
Mayor: Ai Seike
In office since: 2024
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Koto (Tokyo Metro region)
Popl: 544,000
Mayor: Tomoka Okubo
In office since: 2023
Previous positions: Member of the Tokyo Metropolitan government
Shinagawa (Tokyo Metro region)
Popl: 423,000
Mayor: Kyoko Morisawa
In office since: 2022
Previous positions: Member of the Tokyo Metropolitan assembly
Suginami (Tokyo Metro region)
Popl: 589,000
Mayor: Satoko Kishimoto
In office since: 2022
Previous positions: Member of an international NGO, based in Europe
Toshima (Tokyo Metro region)
Popl: 289,000
Mayor: Miyuki Takagiwa
In office since: 2023
Previous positions: Member of the Tokyo Metropolitan government; Deputy Mayor of Toshima
Kita (Tokyo Metro region)
Popl: 353,000
Mayor: Kanako Yamada
In office since: 2023
Previous positions: n/a
Adachi (Tokyo Metro region)
Popl: 695,000
Mayor: Yayoi Kondo
In office since: 2007
Previous positions: Member of the Tokyo Metropolitan assembly)
Kodaira (Tokyo Metro region)
Popl: 195,000
Mayor: Yoko Kobayashi
In office since: 2021
Previous positions: Member of the city administration
Higashiyamato (Tokyo Metro region)
Popl: 86,000
Mayor: Hitomi Wachi
In office since: 2023
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Hinode (Tokyo Metro region)
Popl: 17,000
Mayor: Misako Tamura
In office since: 2021
Previous positions: Social welfare executive
Miyake (Tokyo Metro region)
Popl: 2,500
Mayor: Akika Yamataka
In office since: 2024
Previous positions: Member of the city administration
Zama (Kanagawa Prefecture)
Popl: 131,000
Mayor: Mito Sato
In office since: 2020
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Ninomiya (Kanagawa Prefecture)
Popl: 27,000
Mayor: Kuniko Murata
In office since: 2014
Previous positions: Member of the Kanagawa Prefectural Assembly
Kamo (Niigata Prefecture)
Popl: 26,000
Mayor: Akemi Fujita
In office since: 2019
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Tsunan (Niigata Prefecture)
Popl: 9,500
Mayor: Haruka Kuwabara
In office since: 2018
Previous positions: Vice chairperson of the city council
Ono (Fukui Prefecture)
Popl: 34,000
Mayor: Shiho Ishiyama
In office since: 2018
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Suwa (Nagano Prefecture)
Popl: 49,000
Mayor: Yukari Kaneko
In office since: 2015
Previous positions: Member of the Nagano Prefectural Assembly
Ginan (Gifu Prefecture)
Popl: 26,000
Mayor: Yuki Goto
In office since: 2024
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Shimada (Shizuoka Prefecture)
Popl: 94,000
Mayor: Kinuyo Someya
In office since: 2013
Previous positions: Director of the Shizuoka Prefecture Gender Equality; Vice President of the National Mayors’ Association
Hekinan (Aichi Prefecture)
Popl: 73,000
Mayor: Yukiko Koike
In office since: 2024
Previous positions: Member of the city council; Company director
Nagakute (Aichi Prefecture)
Popl: 62,000
Mayor: Sato Yumi
In office since: n/a
Previous positions: n/a
Suzuka (Mie Prefecture)
Popl: 198,000
Mayor: Norika Suematsu
In office since: 2013
Previous positions: National Land Examination Committee Specialist; Member of the Study Group on Acceptance of Foreigners
Meiwa (Mie Prefecture)
Popl: 23,000
Mayor: Yumiko Shimomura
In office since: 2024
Previous positions: n/a
Uji (Kyoto Prefecture)
Popl: 180,000
Mayor: Atsuko Matsumura
In office since: 2020
Previous positions: Kyoto Prefectural Health and Welfare Director;
Yawata (Kyoto Prefecture)
Popl: 70,000
Mayor: Shoko Kawata
In office since: 2023
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Ikeda (Osaka Prefecture)
Popl: 103,000
Mayor: Tomoko Takizawa
In office since: n/a
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Daito (Osaka Prefecture)
Popl: 118,000
Mayor: Nobuko Ohsaka
In office since: 2024
Previous positions: Lecturer at Osaka Metropolitan University and Osaka Rehabilitation University; Director of the city’s Health and Medical Department
Akashi (Hyogo Prefecture
Popl: 137,000
Mayor: Satoko Marutani
In office since: 2023
Previous positions: Vice President of Japan’s Society for Environmental Education
Takarazuka (Hyogo Prefecture)
Popl: 222,000
Mayor: Harue Yamasaki
In office since: 2021
Previous positions: Lawyer
Mihama (Aichi Prefecture)
Popl: 23,000
Mayor: Miwako Yabuuchi
In office since: 2019
Previous positions: Director at Mihama City Hall
Kotoura (Tottori Prefecture)
Popl: 17,000
Mayor: Mariko Fukumoto
In office since: 2022
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Kurashiki (Okayama Prefecture)
Popl: 479,000
Mayor: Kaori Ito
In office since: 2008
Previous positions: Director at the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Kasaoka (Okayama Prefecture)
Popl: 46,000
Mayor: Noriko Kurio
In office since: 2024
Previous positions: Member of the city council
Shunan (Yamaguchi Prefecture)
Popl: 137,000
Mayor: Ritsuko Fujii
In office since: 2019
Previous positions: Member of the Yamaguchi Prefectural Assembly
Miyoshi (Tokushima Prefecture)
Popl: 24,000
Mayor: Miho Takai
In office since: 2021
Previous positions: Member of the Tokoshima Prefectural Assembly; Member of Parliament (the Diet)
Ino (Köni Prefecture)
Popl: 22,000
Mayor: Makiko Ikada
In office since: 2016
Previous positions: Director of a nursing home for the elderly
Munakata (Fukuoka Prefecture)
Popl: 97,000
Mayor: Misako Izu
In office since: 2018
Previous positions: Lecturer at Fukuoka University
Kotake (Fukuoka Prefecture)
Popl: 7,000
Mayor: Yoriko Inoue
In office since: 2024
Previous positions: n/a
Hita (Oita Prefecture)
Popl: 28,000
Mayor: Michiko Mukuno
In office since: 2023
Previous positions: Professor at and Vice President of Oita University
Nakagusuku (Okinawa Prefecture)
Popl: 23,000
Mayor: Asano Higa
In office since: 2024
Previous positions: Member of the city council; Company director
Methodology: The research was carried out in May and June 2025
Sources: Female Governors and Mayors Executive Committee; Tokyo Metropolitan Government; UN Women; Japan Local Government Centre, London; City Mayors Foundation
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