NARA (TR) – The mayor of a city in Nara Prefecture issued an apology last week amid revelations by a weekly tabloid that he utilized sex services in Tokyo during business trips earlier this year, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun (Aug. 31).
On August 31, Ken Namikawa, the 38-year-old mayor of Tenri City, acknowledged that claims by Shukan Shincho (Sept. 7) regarding his usage of so-called “delivery health” services were correct.
“It was morally inappropriate, and I deeply regret that I damaged the trust of citizens, staff and my family,” Namikawa said.
According to the magazine, which hit newsstands on August 31, Namikawa requested fuzoku-jo (female sex workers) from the services to visit him at his hotel rooms in the capital on two occasions in February and June.
Namikawa told the press corps that the fees for the services came from his own money.
Native of Osaka
Namikawa is a native of Osaka. After graduation from the University of Tokyo, he entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2013, he was elected as mayor of Tenri as an independent candidate.
