Shinji Ishimaru (石丸 伸二, Ishimaru Shinji, born 12 August 1982) is a Japanese politician who has served as Mayor of Akitakata from 2020 until his resignation in 2024.[1]

Shinji Ishimaru
石丸 伸二
Official portrait, c. 2020
Mayor of Akitakata
In office
August 9, 2020 – June 9, 2024
Preceded byHiroshi Kodama
Succeeded byTBD
Personal details
Born (1982-08-12) 12 August 1982 (age 41)
Akitakata, Hiroshima, Japan
Political partyIndependent
Alma materKyoto University (BEc)
WebsiteOfficial website

Ishimaru is an independent candidate for the 2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election.

Early life

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Born in Akitakata, Hiroshima,[2] Ishimaru attended the Hiroshima Prefectural Gion Kita High School, then enrolled at Kyoto University's Faculty of Economics.[3] In 2006 following graduation, he became an employee of MUFG Bank and was assigned to their Himeji branch.[4] In 2014 he was assigned to the New York City branch of MUFG Union Bank, a subsidiary of MUFG Bank, as a foreign exchange analyst,[5][6] and worked in 25 cities across nine states in the United States for four and a half years. He left MUFG Bank in 2020.[7]

Political career

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Mayor of Akitakata

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In July 2020, Hiroshi Kodama resigned as Mayor of Akitakata after it was revealed that he received JP¥600,000 in cash from Katsuyuki Kawai, a member of the House of Representatives with allegations of vote buying to aid Anri Kawai's campaign for the House of Councillors.[8] Following this development, Shinji Ishimaru decided to run for mayor. He officially declared his candidacy on July 22.[9] In the subsequent mayoral election held on August 9, Ishimaru won against rival Mineaki Takemoto, the then-incumbent vice mayor, with 8,076 votes (60.18% of the popular vote).[10][11][12]

On May 10, 2024, in a press conference, Ishimaru announced that he would not seek for reelection as mayor of Akitakata, but expressed his intention to continue his career as a politician.[13][14] He expressed interest in running for Governor of Tokyo and the House of Representatives.[15][16]

2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election

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On May 16, 2024, Ishimaru announced his intention to run in the 2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election.[17] He held a press conference in Hiroshima on the next day and officially announced his candidacy for the gubernatorial election, revealing that he would run as an independent and without the endorsement of a political party.[18][19] Ishimaru resigned as mayor of Akitakata on June 9, 2024 as a result of his candidacy.[1]

Electoral history

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2020 Akitakita mayoral election
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Shinji Ishimaru 8,076 60.2
Independent Mineaki Takemoto 5,344 39.8
Total votes 13,420 100.00

References

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  1. ^ a b "安芸高田市の石丸市長が6月9日付で辞職 市長選の予定日、前倒しに:朝日新聞デジタル". 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). 2024-05-21. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  2. ^ "都知事選出馬表明の石丸伸二氏にオバ記者が突撃!「大学時代の交際歴はない」「読んだ漫画は2万冊超」…その素顔に迫る". NEWSポストセブン (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  3. ^ "地方から日本を変える! 安芸高田市長・石丸伸二「個人の人生で考えたら(市長になるのは)割に合わないです。でも、社会として考えたら、めちゃめちゃコスパがいい」 - 政治・国際 - ニュース". 週プレNEWS[週刊プレイボーイのニュースサイト] (in Japanese). 2022-11-12. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  4. ^ 石丸伸二 (2023-12-14). "「補助金をもらうことが議員の仕事ではない!」金ばかりせびる居眠り議員に「恥を知れ!」と激怒した41歳安芸高田市長が婚活事業を廃止した理由". みんかぶ(マガジン) (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  5. ^ "株式会社AilaB | お知らせ | 株式会社AilaB ✖︎ 安芸高田市、未来への新たな一歩". SMART COMPANY (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  6. ^ "38歳の新市長と、広島県 安芸高田市を変える。「2人目の副市長」公募開始。│ソーシャルインパクト採用プロジェクト by エン・ジャパン". 38歳の新市長と、広島県 安芸高田市を変える。「2人目の副市長」公募開始。│ソーシャルインパクト採用プロジェクト by エン・ジャパン (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  7. ^ "38歳の新市長と広島県 安芸高田市を変える。「2人目の副市長」公募開始。". enjapan.com. 2 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  8. ^ "河井容疑者の買収事件 安芸高田市長 現金の受け取り認める | ニュース・報道 | 広島ホームテレビ". web.archive.org. 2020-06-25. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  9. ^ "安芸高田市長選 銀行員・石丸氏が立候補へ あす表明 /広島". 毎日新聞 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  10. ^ "「丸刈り市長」後任は37歳元銀行員 安芸高田市長選:朝日新聞デジタル". 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). 2020-08-09. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  11. ^ "過ち糧に新しい政治へ 安芸高田市長・石丸伸二さん(38)=安芸高田市【決別 金権政治 参院広島・再選挙を前に】<4> | 中国新聞デジタル". 過ち糧に新しい政治へ 安芸高田市長・石丸伸二さん(38)=安芸高田市【決別 金権政治 参院広島・再選挙を前に】<4> | 中国新聞デジタル (in Japanese). 2021-04-04. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  12. ^ "日刊スポーツ : nikkansports.com". www.nikkansports.com (in Japanese). 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  13. ^ "石丸・安芸高田市長が再選不出馬表明 市政の課題「あらかたケリ」:朝日新聞デジタル". 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). 2024-05-10. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  14. ^ 日本放送協会. "安芸高田市石丸市長 次の市長選挙には立候補しない意向|NHK 広島のニュース". NHK NEWS WEB. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  15. ^ "石丸伸二・安芸高田市長が再選不出馬 東京都知事選「前向きに検討」". 日本経済新聞 (in Japanese). 2024-05-10. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  16. ^ "「J1広島の応援続けて」安芸高田市長・石丸伸二が衆院選で岸田首相と対決か(2024年5月11日)|BIGLOBEニュース". BIGLOBEニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  17. ^ "広島県安芸高田市の石丸伸二市長、東京都知事選に出馬へ". 日本経済新聞 (in Japanese). 2024-05-16. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  18. ^ "石丸・安芸高田市長、都知事選は無所属で出馬「地方の衰退止める」:朝日新聞デジタル". 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). 2024-05-17. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  19. ^ 楠城 泰介, 大泉 晋之助 (2024-05-19). "東京都知事選告示まで1カ月も固まらない構図 小池百合子知事はいまだ意思表明せず". 産経新聞:産経ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-02.