The winner of a mayoral election in Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, was decided by a lottery after two candidates gained exactly the same number of votes.
The mayoral race of Kamisu City took place on Sunday. Independent Kiuchi Toshiyuki was picked to be the winner by a lottery. It was his first time running in a mayoral election.
He and his rival, independent and incumbent Ishida Susumu each earned 16,724 votes. The identical vote count prompted a lottery to determine the winner under Japan's public office election law. Deciding the results of a race by a lottery is rare.
Kiuchi said he had expected a close battle against the incumbent. He added that he was surprised by the exact tie because it was his first experience of this kind.
Ishida said he plans to file an objection and seek a recount from the electoral commission.

Quiz 1:
Who won the mayoral election in Ibaraki Prefecture on November 10, 2025?
A. Kiuchi Toshiyuki was chosen before the election
B. Independent Kiuchi Toshiyuki won by a lottery
C. Incumbent Ishida Susumu won the election
D. The election results are still being disputed

Quiz 2:
Who was picked as the winner of the mayoral race in Kamisu City through a lottery?
A. Kiuchi Toshiyuki
B. Ishida Susumu
C. An unknown candidate
D. The election commission

Quiz 3:
What was unusual about the mayoral election in Kamisu City on November 10, 2025?
A. Two candidates had the same number of votes for the first time in history
B. The winner was chosen before the election
C. The incumbent won with an overwhelming majority
D. The winner was determined by a public referendum