Incumbent Prefectural Council Member Allegedly Stalking…Beautiful City Council Member Who Was Victimized Angrily Responds, “The Content of the Press Conference is Full of Lies!”

He said, “It was good that he held an explanatory press conference, but the content of the conference was nothing but lies to save his own skin. Sasakawa’s attitude has become a problem even within the prefectural assembly,” said an incumbent member of the Osaka Restoration Association.

On May 18, Osamu Sasakawa, 41, a representative of the Osaka Restoration Association, held an explanatory press conference. It was reported in “Weekly Bunshun” that eight years ago, Mr. Sasakawa had harassed his junior councilor, Nozomi Miyawaki (36), by parking his car in front of her office late at night and ringing her home intercom.

Sasakawa apologized at a press conference, but it appears that this will not be the end of the story. As one incumbent prefectural assembly member stated, “Mr. Sasakawa was a late-night reporter for the Weekly Bunshun.

Sasakawa said that the reason he pressed the intercom late at night was because he was ‘helping someone move. However, there is no evidence that he helped Mr. Miyawaki move, and he never went up to his room in the first place. As for parking his car in front of Councilor Miyawaki’s office to keep an eye on him, he made an excuse to the effect that ‘I was contacted by a local and went to see him out of concern,’ but there is no doubt that this was also an act of goodwill.”

Another member of the Restoration Council continues, “Sasakawa’s character is well liked by the heavyweights in the prefectural assembly.

“He became a representative because he was liked by the heavyweights of the prefectural assembly, but Councilor Sasakawa is not well-liked anyway. At a reception following his appointment, Katsunori Kaneshiro, the deputy representative, said, “I want to make up for the lack of personality in Councilor Sasakawa,” a remark that was met with laughter. Former Representative Ichiro Matsui was also quite upset about the incident, saying, “That guy needs to resign as soon as possible. He is not the right person to represent us! He told everyone around him, ‘That guy needs to quit as soon as possible.'”

How does Miyawaki City Council member Miyawaki feel about Sasakawa’s false allegation press conference? The city councilor told us, “I will refrain from commenting on this matter, as it has already been resolved,” he added.

The content of what Councilor Sasakawa said at the press conference creates the misconception that I have moved him into the room. I would like to inform you that there is no fact that Senator Sasakawa helped me move in. Of course I never took him up to his room, nor do I recall giving him my room number. I remember the day I parked my car in front of his office was the day we were returning from a drinking party together, and I told him I had some work to do at the office and we parted ways. So there can be no explanation that ‘a local called me and came to see me.’

If he lied at the press conference, he is likely to be held even more accountable.

From the June 9, 2023 issue of FRIDAY