Tottori Governor Shinji Hirai Says He Will Not Run in 2027 Election
In short
Tottori Governor Shinji Hirai (平井伸治), 65, said at a regular press conference on 21 October that he will not run in the gubernatorial election due in spring 2027. He is in his fifth term, and Nikkei reported he has no successor to nominate.
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Tottori Governor Shinji Hirai, 65, said at his regular press conference on 21 October that he will not run in the gubernatorial election due in spring 2027 and will leave office at the end of his current term, Jiji Press reported. He is in his fifth term. [ 1 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 12 ]
Yomiuri Shimbun quoted him as saying he thought he should step aside and that he had been able to see his original resolve through. Nikkei quoted him as saying he would draw a line here and leave the prefectural government to the next person, and reported that he has no successor candidate to nominate. Asahi Shimbun reported that he teared up and his voice caught as he thanked residents. [ 7 , 9 , 12 ]
Jiji Press said the election is scheduled for 11 April 2027 as part of the unified local elections, and that no one had so far declared a candidacy. Yomiuri reported that at the September prefectural assembly session he had said his future was a blank slate and that he wanted to focus on his current work. [ 5 , 7 ]
Hirai is from Tokyo. Yomiuri reported that he worked at the Ministry of Home Affairs (now the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications) and as Tottori deputy governor before being first elected governor in 2007. From September 2021 he served for two years as head of the National Governors' Association, Jiji Press reported. Yahoo! News Japan reported that in the 2023 election he won more than 200,000 votes, with a vote share above 90% in every municipality. [ 5 , 7 , 8 ]
TBS NEWS DIG published the relevant part of the press conference in full. Its headline said "deep disappointment" was one of his reasons, and quoted him as saying he had not abandoned his personality or dignity as a human being. A later TBS NEWS DIG report said he was asked whether press reports about an "obasan remark" were the deciding factor, and that he replied he had not intended to say this but could not accept it, and that he may have caused trouble to his family. [ 14 , 22 ]
Why it matters
The election to choose the next Tottori governor is scheduled for 11 April 2027, and Jiji Press reported that no one had yet declared a candidacy. Hirai was first elected governor in 2007.
Key facts
- Hirai said at his regular press conference on 21 October that he will not stand in the spring 2027 gubernatorial election. [ 1 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 12 ]
- He is 65 and in his fifth term; he was first elected governor in 2007. [ 1 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 12 ]
- Jiji Press reported the election is scheduled for 11 April 2027 as part of the unified local elections, and that no one had yet declared a candidacy. [ 5 ]
- Hirai served as head of the National Governors' Association for two years from September 2021. [ 5 , 8 ]
- Nikkei reported he said he has no successor candidate to nominate. [ 12 ]
- Asahi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun reported he teared up at the press conference. [ 9 , 11 , 13 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Hirai announced at the 21 October regular press conference that he will not run in the next gubernatorial election, due in spring 2027. [ 1 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 12 ]
- Hirai is in his fifth term as governor and was first elected in 2007. [ 1 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 12 ]
- Hirai was head of the National Governors' Association from 2021 for two years. [ 5 , 7 , 8 ]
- Hirai teared up at the press conference. [ 9 , 11 , 13 , 19 ]
Still unclear
- Whether press reports about a remark described as the "obasan remark" were the deciding factor. TBS NEWS DIG's headline says he was asked this and replied that he had not intended to say it but could not accept it; the documents give no further detail.
- Who will run to succeed Hirai. Jiji Press reported that no one had declared a candidacy, and Nikkei reported Hirai has no successor to nominate.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TBS NEWS DIG publishes a flash report that Hirai will not run. [ 1 ]
- Jiji Press reports he will leave office at the end of this term and gives the election date as 11 April 2027. [ 5 ]
- Yomiuri Shimbun reports his quote that he thought he should step aside. [ 7 ]
- Nikkei reports that he has no successor to nominate. [ 12 ]
- TBS NEWS DIG publishes the full text of the relevant part of the press conference. [ 14 ]