Mayor Akira Ogawa was elected for the first time in February's mayoral election in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture. Ogawa made her first appearance at City Hall on the 28th and gave a lecture in front of approximately 120 employees of section manager level and above.
She cited "children and child-rearing policies" as his top priority policy, and stated, "I would like to work towards making school lunches free and reducing the burden of childcare fees" This is the first. time that a woman has been appointed as Mayor of Maebashi since the city began in 1892.