Tokyo International News Agency

It was revealed by the 28th that Takeharu Yamanaka, the mayor of Yokohama City, has decided to resign to take responsibility for a power harassment issue involving municipal staff. He is expected to formally announce his intention to step down at a supporters' meeting to be held on the afternoon of the same day. According to sources and reports, Mayor Yamanaka had been accused of making abusive remarks that degraded staff members' dignity, such as calling them "useless pieces of junk" or "human trash." A third-party investigation also confirmed the harassment. Although he initially showed a willingness to stay in office, moves by the Liberal Democratic Party and other factions in the city assembly to submit a motion of no confidence gained momentum, making the continuation of municipal administration extremely difficult. Following the reports of his resignation, social media was flooded with harsh criticism, with users commenting that "verbal abuse by t...

Joe Kent, the Director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), announced his resignation on March 17, expressing opposition to the Trump administration's military operations against Iran. Kent stated that he "cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran" and asserted that Iran does "not pose an imminent threat" to the United States. According to multiple media reports, Director Kent is the highest-ranking official in the administration to resign over military action against Iran. He also cited as a reason for his resignation, "It is clear that this war was initiated by Israel and its powerful lobby." Kent is a veteran who served in the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets) and the CIA. He was nominated by President Trump to head the NCTC in February 2025. While initially known as an ardent Trump supporter, his career also showed a facet of advocating for a restrained foreign policy, contrary to his initial alignment. In resp...

Cygames, a prominent game development and operation company, announced on the 30th that Executive Director Yuito Kimura resigned as of the same date. The reason for his resignation is cited as ongoing poor health, which has made it difficult for him to fully carry out his previous responsibilities. Kimura explained on his SNS (formerly X) that while "it's not a serious condition that endangers my life," he confirmed his persistent poor health. He also stated that systems are already in place to ensure business operations are not affected for the titles and duties he was responsible for. Furthermore, he expressed a strong desire to return to game development once his health fully recovers. Kimura was deeply involved as a producer in numerous hit titles representing Cygames, such as "Granblue Fantasy," "Shadowverse," and "Princess Connect! Re:Dive." His accomplishments are widely recognized, and he was affectionately known as "KMR" by...

Prime Minister Ishiba reportedly firmed up his intention to resign on the afternoon of the 7th, sending shockwaves through Nagatacho, Japan's political center. An NHK News Flash announced, "Prime Minister Ishiba solidifies intention to resign," with multiple media outlets following suit. The Prime Minister is expected to hold a press conference at the Prime Minister's Official Residence at 6 PM on the same day to formally announce his resignation. The background to his resignation is largely attributed to the responsibility for the results of the recent House of Councillors election. Additionally, an impending internal Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) survey, scheduled for the 8th, to gauge support for an early party presidential election, is believed to have played a significant role. Sources close to the matter suggested, "It was the only way to avoid a party split," indicating a clear aim to prevent internal party chaos. There is also a view that the concl...

Although Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has announced his intention to resign, the lack of a specific timeline has sparked a swirl of doubts and speculation on social media regarding "When will he resign?" On X (formerly Twitter), "When will he resign?" rapidly climbed to the top of trending topics, with a growing public demand for an early decision and clear explanation. Following the Prime Minister's announcement, many users' immediate question was about the timing. Posts such as "He announced his resignation, but when is he actually quitting?" and "By not stating 'when will he resign?', he's going to mess things up until the full term expires" appeared one after another, revealing public distrust over the absence of a concrete withdrawal date. Furthermore, many expressed concerns about the possibility of the resignation being delayed until the end of his term, with comments like, "Is this the pattern where Gelu says h...