In September, the Hyogo prefectural assembly unanimously passed a no-confidence motion against Governor Motohiko Saito due to accusations of bullying and corruption. Saito was subsequently forced to resign from his post, but soon after announced that he would be seeking reelection. On Sunday, that election took place. Saito came out on top, despite political parties and many of Hyogo’s mayors turning against him. Without their support, he turned to social media, vowing to continue to invest in younger generations, while also tackling rising prices.
Saito secured 45.2% of the votes ahead of former Amagasaki Mayor Kazumi Inamura, who received 39.6%. Television presenter Takayuki Shimizu finished third with 10.5%. There were four other candidates, including Takashi Tachibana, the founder and leader of the NHK Party. After the victory, Saito addressed his supporters at his election campaign office. “I will do my best with gratitude and humility in mind,” he said. “I will run the prefectural government with an all-Hyogo approach.” The 47-year-old must also attempt to recover public trust and restore relations with assembly members.
Accusations Against Motohiko Saito
On March 12 of this year, the director of the Nishiharima prefectural bureau anonymously distributed a document titled “Regarding the Illegal Acts of Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito” to prefectural assembly members, media outlets and the prefectural police department. In the document, Saito is accused of power harassment and accepting gifts from political parties. The governor denied the allegations saying, “The core parts are not true.” The man who came forward should have been protected under the Whistleblower Protection Act. Instead, he was disciplined.
In July, the whistleblower was found dead at his home in an apparent suicide. Speaking before a special investigation committee — known as the Article 100 Committee — in August, Saito maintained that the punishment was fair because the document was “highly defamatory.” He did admit, however, to going too far when he said the man was “unfit to work as a public servant” at a press conference. Providing testimony at the hearing, one worker spoke about the governor throwing stationary at a top official, while another gave details about him yelling at employees.
