arXiv subjects

Yota Otachi

Publications and source records attributed to Yota Otachi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Forcing a unique minimum spanning tree and a unique shortest path

A forcing set $S$ in a combinatorial problem is a set of elements such that there is a unique solution that contains all the elements in $S$. An anti-forcing set is the symmetric concept: a set $S$ of elements is called an anti-forcing set if there is a unique solution disjoint from $S$. There are extensive studies on the computational complexity of finding a minimum forcing set in various combinatorial problems, and the known results indicate that many problems are harder than their classical counterparts: the decision version of finding a minimum forcing set for perfect matchings is NP-complete [Adams et al., Discrete Mathematics, 2004], and that of finding a minimum forcing set for satisfying assignments for 3CNF formulas is $Σ_2^P$-complete [Hatami-Maserrat, Discrete Applied Mathematics, 2005]. In this paper, we investigate the complexity of finding minimum forcing and anti-forcing sets for the shortest $s$-$t$ path problem and the minimum-weight spanning tree problem. We show that, unlike the aforementioned results, these problems are tractable, with the exception of the decision version of finding a minimum anti-forcing set for shortest $s$-$t$ paths, which is NP-complete. To complement this intractability result, we design fixed-parameter tractable algorithms for finding a minimum anti-forcing set for shortest $s$-$t$ paths.

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arXiv2026

Complexity of induced subgraph isomorphism and maximum common induced subgraph parameterized by cluster vertex deletion number

We study the parameterized complexity of Induced Subgraph Isomorphism (ISI) and Maximum Common Induced Subgraph (MCIS) with respect to the cluster vertex deletion number $k$. For ISI, we give a randomized $O^*(k^{O(k)})$-time algorithm, showing that ISI is fixed-parameter tractable under this parameter and resolving an open question of Hanaka et al. [WALCOM 2026]. Our algorithm is optimal under the Exponential Time Hypothesis (ETH), and is based on a reduction to Exact Multicolored Matching solvable via algebraic techniques. For MCIS, we present a randomized $O^*(2^{O(k^2)})$-time algorithm via a reduction to a weighted variant of Exact Multicolored Matching, and we prove a matching ETH-based lower bound by showing that a $k$-by-$k$ binary matrix feasibility problem with list-constrained rows and columns admits no $O^*(2^{o(k^2)})$-time algorithm, which may be of independent interest. These results reveal that, in this setting, MCIS is strictly harder than ISI. Finally, for the three-graph variant 3-MCIS, we show that it becomes NP-hard already when each input graph has cluster vertex deletion number 2.

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arXiv2026

Spanning tree congestion of proper interval graphs

We show that the spanning tree congestion problem is NP-complete even on proper interval graphs with linear clique-width at most 4 and diameter 3. By slightly modifying the reduction, we also show that the problem is NP-complete on (general) graphs of diameter 2.

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arXiv2026

Frameworks to Design Approximation Algorithms for Finding Diverse Solutions in Combinatorial Problems

Finding a \emph{single} best solution is the most common objective in combinatorial optimization problems. However, such a single solution may not be applicable to real-world problems as objective functions and constraints are only "approximately" formulated for original real-world problems. To solve this issue, finding \emph{multiple} solutions is a natural direction, and diversity of solutions is an important concept in this context. Unfortunately, finding diverse solutions is much harder than finding a single solution. To cope with difficulty, we investigate the approximability of finding diverse solutions. As a main result, we propose a framework to design approximation algorithms for finding diverse solutions, which yields several outcomes including constant-factor approximation algorithms for finding diverse matchings in graphs and diverse common bases in two matroids and PTASes for finding diverse minimum cuts and interval schedulings.

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arXiv2026

3-packings in Triangulations: Algorithms, bounds, and Complexity

We study $H$-packings in plane triangulations for the three-vertex graphs $H\in\{P_3,K_3,P_2\cup P_1\}$. For a graph $H$, let $λ_H(G)$ denote the maximum size of an $H$-packing in $G$, with the convention that for $H=P_2\cup P_1$ the copies are required to be induced. For $P_3$-packings, we prove that every triangulation $G$ on $n$ vertices satisfies $λ_{P_3}(G)\ge \left\lfloor \frac n5\right\rfloor$, and show that this lower bound is asymptotically tight. We also study triangle packings in triangulations and provide lower bounds for $λ_{K_3}(G)$ in terms of the maximum degree and the degree sequence. We give a face-path characterization of triangle factors in $4$-connected plane triangulations using a hamiltonian cycle and the weak duals of the two associated maximal outerplanar graphs. Finally, for induced packings by $P_2\cup P_1$, we prove that every plane triangulation $T$ on $n$ vertices satisfies $λ_{P_2\cup P_1}(T)\ge \left\lfloor \frac n3\right\rfloor-2$, and show that such a packing can be found in polynomial time.

cs.DM↗

arXiv2026

Parameterized Spanning Tree Congestion

In this paper we study the Spanning Tree Congestion problem, where we are given a graph $G=(V,E)$ and are asked to find a spanning tree $T$ of minimum maximum congestion. Here, the congestion of an edge $e\in T$ is the number of edges $uv\in E$ such that the (unique) path from $u$ to $v$ in $T$ traverses $e$. We consider this well-studied NP-hard problem from the point of view of (structural) parameterized complexity and obtain the following results. We resolve a natural open problem by showing that Spanning Tree Congestion is not FPT parameterized by treewidth (under standard assumptions). More strongly, we present a generic reduction which applies to (almost) any parameter of the form ``vertex-deletion distance to class $\mathcal{C}$'', thus obtaining W[1]-hardness for parameters more restricted than treewidth, including tree-depth plus feedback vertex set, or incomparable to treewidth, such as twin cover. Via a slight tweak of the same reduction we also show that the problem is NP-complete on interval graphs of modular-width $4$. Even though it is known that Spanning Tree Congestion remains NP-hard on instances with only one vertex of unbounded degree, it is currently open whether the problem remains hard on bounded-degree graphs. We resolve this question by showing NP-hardness on graphs of maximum degree 8. Complementing the problem's W[1]-hardness for treewidth...

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arXiv2026

Treewidth of the $n \times n$ toroidal grid

In this paper, we show that the treewidth of the $n \times n$ toroidal grid is $2n-1$ for all $n \ge 5$. This closes the gap between the previously known upper bound of $2n-1$ (Ellis and Warren, DAM 2008) and the lower bound of $2n-2$ (Kiyomi, Okamoto, and Otachi, DAM 2016). To establish the matching lower bound, we construct a bramble of maximum order by utilizing maximum components obtained after removing $2n-1$ vertices. Our construction relies on the vertex-isoperimetric properties of the infinite grid to establish tight lower bounds on neighborhood sizes, combined with a careful analysis of balls of radius $n/2-1$ and their boundaries to overcome structural obstructions when $n$ is even.

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arXiv2026

Biclique Reconfiguration in Bipartite Graphs

We prove that Balanced Biclique Reconfiguration on bipartite graphs is PSPACE-complete. This implies the PSPACE-completeness of the spanning variant of Subgraph Reconfiguration under the token jumping rule for the property "a graph is an $(i, j)$-complete bipartite graph," which was previously known only to be NP-hard [Hanaka et al. TCS 2020]. Using our result, we also show that Connected Components Reconfiguration with two connected components is PSPACE-complete under all previously studied rules, resolving an open problem of Nakahata [COCOON 2025] in the negative.

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arXiv2026

Interval Graphs are Reconstructible

A graph is reconstructible if it is determined up to isomorphism by the multiset of its proper induced subgraphs. The reconstruction conjecture postulates that every graph of order at least 3 is reconstructible. We show that interval graphs with at least three vertices are reconstructible. For this purpose, we develop a technique to handle separations in the context of reconstruction. This resolves a major roadblock to using graph structure theory in the context of reconstruction. To apply our novel technique, we also develop a resilient combinatorial structure theory for interval graphs. A consequence of our result is that interval graphs can be reconstructed in polynomial time.

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arXiv2026

On Edge-Disjoint Maximal Outerplanar Graphs

We provide two constructions for $t$ edge-disjoint maximal outerplanar graphs on every number of $n \geq 4t$ vertices. The bound on the minimum number of vertices is tight. These constructions yield the existence of optimal outerthickness-$t$ graphs for every $t \in \mathbb{N}$. While one of the constructions works for all values of $t$ and extends graphs from Guy and Nowakowski (1990), the other one holds only for powers of $2$, but yields graphs with maximum degree logarithmic in the number of vertices. Thus, the latter may be helpful in tackling the open question of determining the outerthickness of all complete graphs.

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arXiv2025

Finding a Maximum Common (Induced) Subgraph: Structural Parameters Revisited

We study the parameterized complexity of the problems of finding a maximum common (induced) subgraph of two given graphs. Since these problems generalize several NP-complete problems, they are intractable even when parameterized by strongly restricted structural parameters. Our contribution in this paper is to sharply complement the hardness of the problems by showing fixed-parameter tractable cases: both induced and non-induced problems parameterized by max-leaf number and by neighborhood diversity, and the induced problem parameterized by twin cover number. These results almost completely determine the complexity of the problems with respect to well-studied structural parameters. Also, the result on the twin cover number presents a rather rare example where the induced and non-induced cases have different complexity.

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arXiv2025

Hitting Geodesic Intervals in Structurally Restricted Graphs

Given a graph $G = (V,E)$, a set $T$ of vertex pairs, and an integer $k$, Hitting Geodesic Intervals asks whether there is a set $S \subseteq V$ of size at most $k$ such that for each terminal pair $\{u,v\} \in T$, the set $S$ intersects at least one shortest $u$-$v$ path. Aravind and Saxena [WALCOM 2024] introduced this problem and showed several parameterized complexity results. In this paper, we extend the known results in both negative and positive directions and present sharp complexity contrasts with respect to structural graph parameters. We first show that the problem is NP-complete even on graphs obtained by adding a single vertex to a disjoint union of 5-vertex paths. By modifying the proof of this result, we also show the NP-completeness on graphs obtained from a path by adding one vertex and on graphs obtained from a disjoint union of triangles by adding one universal vertex. Furthermore, we show the NP-completeness on graphs of bandwidth 4 and maximum degree 5 by replacing the universal vertex in the last case with a long path. Under standard complexity assumptions, these negative results rule out fixed-parameter algorithms for most of the structural parameters studied in the literature (if the solution size $k$ is not part of the parameter). We next present fixed-parameter algorithms parameterized by $k$ plus modular-width and by $k$ plus vertex integrity. The algorithm for the latter case does indeed solve a more general setting that includes the parameterization by the minimum vertex multiway-cut size of the terminal vertices. We show that this is tight in the sense that the problem parameterized by the minimum vertex multicut size of the terminal pairs is W[2]-complete. We then modify the proof of this intractability result and show that the problem is W[2]-complete parameterized by $k$ even in the setting where $T = \binom{Q}{2}$ for some $Q \subseteq V$.

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arXiv2025

Hedonic Seat Arrangement Problems

In this paper, we study a variant of hedonic games, called \textsc{Seat Arrangement}. The model is defined by a bijection from agents with preferences for each other to vertices in a graph $G$. The utility of an agent depends on the neighbors assigned in the graph. More precisely, it is the sum over all neighbors of the preferences that the agent has towards the agent assigned to the neighbor. We first consider the price of stability and fairness for different classes of preferences. In particular, we show that there is an instance such that the price of fairness ({\sf PoF}) is unbounded in general. Moreover, we show an upper bound $\tilde{d}(G)$ and an almost tight lower bound $\tilde{d}(G)-1/4$ of {\sf PoF}, where $\tilde{d}(G)$ is the average degree of an input graph. Then we investigate the computational complexity of problems to find certain ``good'' seat arrangements, say \textsc{Utilitarian Arrangement}, \textsc{Egalitarian Arrangement}, \textsc{Stable Arrangement}, and \textsc{Envy-free Arrangement}. We give dichotomies of computational complexity of four \textsc{Seat Arrangement} problems from the perspective of the maximum order of connected components in an input graph. For the parameterized complexity, \textsc{Utilitarian Arrangement} can be solved in time $n^{O(γ)}$, while it cannot be solved in time $f(γ)n^{o(γ)}$ under ETH, where $n$ is the number of agents and $γ$ is the vertex cover number of an input graph. Moreover, we show that \textsc{Egalitarian Arrangement} and \textsc{Envy-free Arrangement} are weakly NP-hard even on graphs of bounded vertex cover number. Finally, we prove that determining whether a stable arrangement can be obtained from a given arrangement by $k$ swaps is W[1]-hard when parameterized by $k+γ$, whereas it can be solved in time $n^{O(k)}$.

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arXiv2025

Finding Order-Preserving Subgraphs

(Induced) Subgraph Isomorphism and Maximum Common (Induced) Subgraph are fundamental problems in graph pattern matching and similarity computation. In graphs derived from time-series data or protein structures, a natural total ordering of vertices often arises from their underlying structure, such as temporal sequences or amino acid sequences. This motivates the study of problem variants that respect this inherent ordering. This paper addresses Ordered (Induced) Subgraph Isomorphism (O(I)SI) and its generalization, Maximum Common Ordered (Induced) Subgraph (MCO(I)S), which seek to find subgraph isomorphisms that preserve the vertex orderings of two given ordered graphs. Our main contributions are threefold: (1) We prove that these problems remain NP-complete even when restricted to small graph classes, such as trees of depth 2 and threshold graphs. (2) We establish a gap in computational complexity between OSI and OISI on certain graph classes. For instance, OSI is polynomial-time solvable for interval graphs with their interval orderings, whereas OISI remains NP-complete under the same setting. (3) We demonstrate that the tractability of these problems can depend on the vertex ordering. For example, while OISI is NP-complete on threshold graphs, its generalization, MCOIS, can be solved in polynomial time if the specific vertex orderings that characterize the threshold graphs are provided.

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arXiv2025

Broadcasting under Structural Restrictions

In the Telephone Broadcast problem we are given a graph $G=(V,E)$ with a designated source vertex $s\in V$. Our goal is to transmit a message, which is initially known only to $s$, to all vertices of the graph by using a process where in each round an informed vertex may transmit the message to one of its uninformed neighbors. The optimization objective is to minimize the number of rounds. Following up on several recent works, we investigate the structurally parameterized complexity of Telephone Broadcast. In particular, we first strengthen existing NP-hardness results by showing that the problem remains NP-complete on graphs of bounded tree-depth and also on cactus graphs which are one vertex deletion away from being path forests. Motivated by this (severe) hardness, we study several other parameterizations of the problem and obtain FPT algorithms parameterized by vertex integrity (generalizing a recent FPT algorithm parameterized by vertex cover by Fomin, Fraigniaud, and Golovach [TCS 2024]) and by distance to clique, as well as FPT approximation algorithms parameterized by clique-cover and cluster vertex deletion. Furthermore, we obtain structural results that relate the length of the optimal broadcast protocol of a graph $G$ with its pathwidth and tree-depth. By presenting a substantial improvement over the best previously known bound for pathwidth (Aminian, Kamali, Seyed-Javadi, and Sumedha [arXiv 2025]) we exponentially improve the approximation ratio achievable in polynomial time on graphs of bounded pathwidth from $\mathcal{O}(4^\mathrm{pw})$ to $\mathcal{O}(\mathrm{pw})$.

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arXiv2024

Computing diverse pair of solutions for tractable SAT

In many decision-making processes, one may prefer multiple solutions to a single solution, which allows us to choose an appropriate solution from the set of promising solutions that are found by algorithms. Given this, finding a set of \emph{diverse} solutions plays an indispensable role in enhancing human decision-making. In this paper, we investigate the problem of finding diverse solutions of Satisfiability from the perspective of parameterized complexity with a particular focus on \emph{tractable} Boolean formulas. We present several parameterized tractable and intractable results for finding a diverse pair of satisfying assignments of a Boolean formula. In particular, we design an FPT algorithm for finding an ``almost disjoint'' pair of satisfying assignments of a $2$CNF formula.

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arXiv2024

Structural Parameterizations of Vertex Integrity

The graph parameter vertex integrity measures how vulnerable a graph is to a removal of a small number of vertices. More precisely, a graph with small vertex integrity admits a small number of vertex removals to make the remaining connected components small. In this paper, we initiate a systematic study of structural parameterizations of the problem of computing the unweighted/weighted vertex integrity. As structural graph parameters, we consider well-known parameters such as clique-width, treewidth, pathwidth, treedepth, modular-width, neighborhood diversity, twin cover number, and cluster vertex deletion number. We show several positive and negative results and present sharp complexity contrasts. We also show that the vertex integrity can be approximated within an $\mathcal{O}(\log \mathsf{opt})$ factor.

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arXiv2024

Finding Induced Subgraphs from Graphs with Small Mim-Width

In the last decade, algorithmic frameworks based on a structural graph parameter called mim-width have been developed to solve generally NP-hard problems. However, it is known that the frameworks cannot be applied to the Clique problem, and the complexity status of many problems of finding dense induced subgraphs remains open when parameterized by mim-width. In this paper, we investigate the complexity of the problem of finding a maximum induced subgraph that satisfies prescribed properties from a given graph with small mim-width. We first give a meta-theorem implying that various induced subgraph problems are NP-hard for bounded mim-width graphs. Moreover, we show that some problems, including Clique and Induced Cluster Subgraph, remain NP-hard even for graphs with (linear) mim-width at most 2. In contrast to the intractability, we provide an algorithm that, given a graph and its branch decomposition with mim-width at most 1, solves Induced Cluster Subgraph in polynomial time. We emphasize that our algorithmic technique is applicable to other problems such as Induced Polar Subgraph and Induced Split Subgraph. Since a branch decomposition with mim-width at most 1 can be constructed in polynomial time for block graphs, interval graphs, permutation graphs, cographs, distance-hereditary graphs, convex graphs, and their complement graphs, our positive results reveal the polynomial-time solvability of various problems for these graph classes.

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