University of Tokyo '2nd place in voting' Faculty members ask for the circumstances surrounding the election of the first female president

Kyodo News reported on the 13th that faculty and staff members have demanded an explanation of the circumstances surrounding the selection of the second-place candidate, a woman, as the next president of the University of Tokyo.

Faculty and staff at the University of Tokyo submitted a request to the president selection meeting today, requesting an explanation of the circumstances surrounding the selection of the president, and urged the quick release of the meeting minutes.

Last month, the University of Tokyo's presidential election meeting elected Vice President Yuko Fujigaki as the next president.

It became a hot topic at the University of Tokyo because it was the first time since its founding that a woman was selected as president.

Vice President Fujigaki finished in second place, behind the first-place candidate who received a majority of the votes in both the first and second rounds of faculty voting to elect the president, but was selected as the next president.

At the time, the selection meeting explained that it made its decision by comprehensively considering interviews with candidates, data, and voting results.

However, when controversy arose over the fact that the candidate who placed second in the vote became president, faculty and staff members voluntarily gathered to demand an explanation at the election meeting.

In the request submitted on this day, the faculty and staff said, "As for the reasons for the selection that were made public, it is unclear how the votes were considered and how they were compared to arrive at different conclusions. We are concerned that speculation and personal attacks are spreading inside and outside of the school without an explanation being shared."

This request was sponsored by 9 professors, and as of 12 noon on this day, approximately 520 faculty and staff members were said to have signed.