CHIBA (Kyodo) Angered by his decision to close a municipal hospital, voters in Choshi, Chiba Prefecture, have recalled Mayor Toshiaki Okano in a referendum.
An election will be held within 50 days, and the 63-year-old Okano is eligible.
"I don't think my decision was wrong," Okano said after Sunday's balloting.
"I feel like running in the next mayoral election, but I want to make a decision after consulting my supporters."
Okano got 11,590 votes against his recall, but 20,958 people voted to kick him out, the city's election board said.
A citizens' group requested the referendum after submitting signatures of 23,405 eligible voters, more than the required number of at least one-third of the city's voters.
