Ritto Mayor Kunimatsu Shoichi announced on July 16, 2010 that he would not seek a third term as mayor when Ritto’s mayoral election is held in October.

Four years ago, Kunimatsu won his second term as mayor upon promising that he would push for the construction of a shinkansen bullet train station in Ritto. This controversial project was later canceled by Shiga Governor Kada Yukiko who was elected in July 2006 upon promising that she would cancel the shinkansen project. The majority of Shiga voters were against Ritto’s proposed shinkansen station seen as hugely expensive and unnecessary due to its proximity to Kyoto and Maibara Stations.

Sixty-two-year-old Mayor Kunimatsu was among the five city mayors in Shiga who opposed the reelection of Governor Kada Yukiko in July 2010 who won by a landslide.

Hopefully, the next Ritto mayor won’t have any ax to grind with the governor and will be able to work together with her.