In June 2017, the mayor of Akashi, Izumi Fusaho, berated a senior city official in charge of a stalled road-widening project. One building owner had not yet agreed to sell. Izumi told the official to burn it down, to set it on fire and get arrested.
The remarks came to light in January 2019. At a press conference, Izumi admitted them and said he had already apologized to the official. He resigned and won the mayoral by-election on March 17, 2019.