logo
Case against Hyogo governor now in the hands of prosecutors

Case against Hyogo governor now in the hands of prosecutors

Asahi Shimbun21-06-2025
KOBE--Hyogo prefectural police have sent papers to prosecutors concerning last year's Hyogo gubernatorial election and suspected violations of the Public Offices Election Law, according to investigative sources.
Papers referred to prosecutors are on the case against Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito and the president of a public relations company based in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture.
However, Hyogo police made no formal announcement about the action nor recommend to prosecutors whether indictments were warranted.
The latest move followed a criminal complaint filed against Saito and the company president. It alleges that Saito paid the PR firm about 700,000 yen ($4,800) to handle part of his campaign last autumn.
The Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office and Hyogo prefectural police in February mounted a search of the offices of public relations company merchu inc. into possible violations of the Public Offices Election Law.
Prosecutors will now decide if indictments are warranted against Saito and the merchu president.
Saito met with reporters on June 20 and repeated his claims that no laws were broken during his gubernatorial campaign.
The merchu president has not spoken with the media since the allegations first surfaced.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Council on Elections Asks Voters to Be Mindful of Fake Information; No New Legislation Ready Before Upper House Election
Council on Elections Asks Voters to Be Mindful of Fake Information; No New Legislation Ready Before Upper House Election

Yomiuri Shimbun

time3 days ago

  • Yomiuri Shimbun

Council on Elections Asks Voters to Be Mindful of Fake Information; No New Legislation Ready Before Upper House Election

A council on election campaigning comprised of seven ruling and opposition parties on Friday issued a statement calling on voters to be mindful of dis- and misinformation on social media ahead of the upcoming House of Councillors election. The statement only went so far as to urge platform operators to strengthen countermeasures on their own initiative, with no relevant legislation to be put forward before the upper house election. The campaign begins on Thursday, with voting to take place on July 20. Before any effective countermeasures can be enacted, there are thorny issues that need to be resolved, including those associated with the 'freedom of expression' guaranteed by the Constitution. The statement also requested that voters confirm the source and authenticity of information they obtain on social media and expressed hope that they 'would utilize social media and other means to contribute to the development of democracy in Japan.' It also stated that the council would 'strive to meet the expectations of the people.' Ichiro Aisawa, chairman of the LDP's Research Commission on the Election System, who is responsible for organizing the discussions, at a press conference on Friday emphasized that the council would continue to consider concrete measures for strengthening regulations. The council — which consists of representatives from the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Japan Innovation Party, the Democratic Party for the People, Reiwa Shinsengumi and the Japanese Communist Party — has been considering specific measures to strengthen regulations on social media related to elections. Discussions on such measures among the council began in December, in response to disturbances that cropped up in local elections in various parts of the country earlier last year. In the Tokyo gubernatorial election, for example, campaign posters lacking in dignity, including one showing an almost naked woman, were an issue. In response, the ruling and opposition parties enacted a revised Public Offices Election Law in March that calls for a certain level of decency in campaign posters. However, with regards to measures to deal with dis- and misinformation on social media, the council has only been able to include the phrase 'necessary measures will be taken' in the supplementary provisions of the law. Thus, no specific countermeasures have been included. At the council meeting held on June 4, the LDP, which is leading the discussions, presented some measures to cope with dis- and misinformation on social media. However, some challenges that face their enactment have been pointed out. A proposal to establish a provision that would urge platform operators to immediately delete posts when a complaint about defamation is lodged by a candidate or others may infringe on the 'freedom of expression' of those who posted it if the post is deleted without their consent. Aisawa was also asked at the press conference when the council would reach a conclusion on the matter. But he only said, 'I would like to refrain from making any statement [on this matter].' Hiroshi Ogushi, executive deputy president of the CDPJ, also did not go into details, saying only, 'We pledge to continue our discussions vigorously even after the Diet session in the autumn in order to reach a conclusion.'

Yakuza suspected of attempting to blackmail elderly man in Kabukicho
Yakuza suspected of attempting to blackmail elderly man in Kabukicho

Tokyo Reported

time4 days ago

  • Tokyo Reported

Yakuza suspected of attempting to blackmail elderly man in Kabukicho

Yakuza suspected of attempting to blackmail elderly man in Kabukicho TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a member of a criminal syndicate over the alleged attempted blackmail of an elderly man in the Kabukicho red-light district, reports the Sankei Shimbun (June 27). At around 9:00 p.m. on February 28, Osamu Saito, a 58-year-old senior member in the Kyokuto-kai, allegedly struck the man, aged in his 80s, in the chest on a street in Kabukicho. 'Give me back 5.94 million yen,' Saito reportedly said. 'Don't mess with me.' Upon his arrest on suspicion of attempted blackmail, Saito declined to comment. 'There's no doubt that I met the male victim on the streets of Kabukicho, but I'll think about why we met and talk about it later,' he said. According to police, the man borrowed a total of 5.6 million yen from Saito at a monthly interest rate of 20 percent in 2021 and April 2022 at the request of an acquaintance. Further, he became a guarantor for the acquaintance who owed Saito 30 million yen in October 2023. When repayments were in arrears, Saito unilaterally set higher interest repayment amounts, saying it was a 'penalty.' The man repaid a total of more than 24 million yen in over 90 installments between May 2023 and February 2025, police said. Earlier this year, the suspect forced him to draw up a I.O.U. that read, 'Payment due March 6, 2025.' The man consulted with police on March 11.

Case against Hyogo governor now in the hands of prosecutors
Case against Hyogo governor now in the hands of prosecutors

Asahi Shimbun

time21-06-2025

  • Asahi Shimbun

Case against Hyogo governor now in the hands of prosecutors

KOBE--Hyogo prefectural police have sent papers to prosecutors concerning last year's Hyogo gubernatorial election and suspected violations of the Public Offices Election Law, according to investigative sources. Papers referred to prosecutors are on the case against Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito and the president of a public relations company based in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. However, Hyogo police made no formal announcement about the action nor recommend to prosecutors whether indictments were warranted. The latest move followed a criminal complaint filed against Saito and the company president. It alleges that Saito paid the PR firm about 700,000 yen ($4,800) to handle part of his campaign last autumn. The Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office and Hyogo prefectural police in February mounted a search of the offices of public relations company merchu inc. into possible violations of the Public Offices Election Law. Prosecutors will now decide if indictments are warranted against Saito and the merchu president. Saito met with reporters on June 20 and repeated his claims that no laws were broken during his gubernatorial campaign. The merchu president has not spoken with the media since the allegations first surfaced.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store