Miho Haxel wins Shizukuishi mayoral race, becoming first woman to lead a municipality in Iwate

Miho Haxel won the Shizukuishi mayoral election in Iwate Prefecture, Japan, defeating incumbent Yoshihisa Saruko.

Haxel, 51, is a former prefectural assembly member, while Saruko had sought a third term.

She won by 1,463 votes, receiving 4,676 votes to Saruko’s 3,213.

Haxel is the first woman to lead a municipality in Iwate Prefecture.

The election was the town’s first contested mayoral race in eight years.

Voter turnout was 62.37%, 2.19 percentage points below the previous contested election in 2018.

Haxel said she wants to build a town where people can live safely and comfortably; her campaign also called for easier-to-use local public transport.