On March 13, Yatsushiro City in Kumamoto Prefecture reported that Mayor Taisuke Ono was caught speeding at 152 km/h on the highway. The incident occurred on December 18 while he was driving to work, where the speed limit was 100 km/h. The violation was recorded by an automatic speed enforcement device set up between the Miyahara Service Area and the Yatsushiro Interchange. As a measure of self-discipline, Ono proposed to the city council to reduce his salary by 50% for two months due to the infraction.

Ono, a former vice-governor of Kumamoto Prefecture and a member of the House of Representatives, expressed remorse for his actions, stating that he should be held accountable as the head of administration for promoting a safe and secure community. He acknowledged his speeding violation as a failure to meet the expectations of the public and pledged to reflect deeply on the incident. This admission comes on the heels of previous infractions involving city staff, highlighting an ongoing concern about adherence to traffic laws within the city administration.

The situation is further complicated by the absence of existing regulations regarding disciplinary action against the mayor, prompting the city to establish a new ordinance to address such issues. Ono had previously apologized to the citizens and council members during a city council meeting in February, stressing that he had significantly betrayed their trust, which adds to the gravity of the current scandal surrounding his behavior as a public official.