Yokohama mayor, in office two weeks, halts council questioning as exhaustion mounts

Atsumi Harasawa, elected in October after her predecessor quit over power harassment, was answering questions for the first time when her breathing turned labored and the session was cut short.

By Newsroom6 November 2026, 13:19 JST1 min read

Yokohama mayor, in office two weeks, halts council questioning as exhaustion mounts — Mayor Atsumi Harazawa (right) returns to her seat after finishing her response during general questions at the plenary session. The general questions were subsequently cut short on the grounds that the mayor was in poor health, at Yokohama City Council on the morning of the 5th. (x)

Yokohama's city assembly cut short general questioning at a plenary session on the 5th after Mayor Atsumi Harasawa, 59, fell ill, the city announced the same day. She will rest through the 6th, and overwork is suspected.

Harasawa won her first term in the mayoral election on October 18, called after her predecessor resigned over power harassment — the abuse of a superior's position — and took office the following day. The session was her first chance to answer questions from each faction directly.

Asked by the first questioner about her resolve in running the city, Harasawa said she would "support the lives of 3.75 million residents." Her breathing grew labored partway through, and she repeatedly faltered. After answering for about 35 minutes, she appeared unsteady as she returned to her seat, and the plenary session was suspended. She was given an intravenous drip at a hospital, according to people involved. The remaining questions were carried over to another day.