If you defy him, you will be “kept in captivity. ……” Prefectural officials feel “blatant pressure” from Governor Saito of Hyogo Prefecture.

No severance pay was paid to the deceased Mr. A.

This is not the only problem with the deceased Mr. A and Mr. B. Another prefectural government official revealed in a hushed voice, “The disciplinary action was put on hold.

I have not heard that the severance pay was paid to Mr. A, the former director of the Prefectural Citizens Bureau whose disciplinary action was put on hold. Mr. A had indicated his intention to retire at the end of March. However, it was on March 27 that Governor Saito stated that he was “considering legal proceedings” against Mr. A, including charges of discredit and defamation. At a press conference at that time, the governor did not approve Mr. A’s retirement, put his retirement on hold, and suspended him for three months in May.”

What possible reason could the prefecture have for not recognizing Mr. A’s retirement and continuing to employ him, which he had not requested?

If he had retired at the mandatory retirement age, he would have received his retirement allowance and other benefits as planned, but by making it a “demotion,” it could be seen as a reduction in the full amount of retirement allowance he was originally entitled to receive.

Therefore, if we publicly criticize the governor, we may be asked, “Will we be subjected to retaliation as well?　What will happen to my wife and children if I do so? What will happen to my wife and children? We are being silenced by the full amount of our retirement benefits,” said one of the above-mentioned employees.

Another prefectural employee was horrified by the “employee information system,” which notifies employees of transfers.

The accuser, Mr. A, was transferred from the Nishi-Harima Prefectural Citizens Bureau to the General Affairs Department after the governor’s press conference on March 27.

His name still remains in the staff information system, but what makes him different from other staff members is that Mr. A’s database does not contain any phone number or other contact information. He is treated as uncontactable. I am terrified that if I go against the prefectural governor, I will be “kept in captivity.

FRIDAY Digital sent a letter of inquiry to the Hyogo Prefectural General Affairs Department’s Personnel Division, asking what they planned to do about the payment of retirement benefits after Mr. A’s retirement was put on hold and he committed suicide in his position as a prefectural employee.

The answer was as follows: “While it is true that his retirement is pending, it is not true that he has been demoted. As for the severance payment, we will proceed with the procedure as soon as the necessary documents are in order.”

According to the prefectural government’s response, Mr. A, who was the head of the Nishi-Harima Prefectural Citizens Bureau, was transferred to a position attached to the General Affairs Department on March 27 and remained attached to the General Affairs Department as of April 1, but his grade was lowered due to the prefecture’s position retirement system. The prefecture claims that it was a “transfer” and not a “demotion,” but can we take this at face value?

Even if Hyogo Prefecture’s decision not to accept Mr. A’s resignation was correct, how will the prefecture explain its decision to offer him continued employment, which he had not requested? The prefecture official testified, “There is no way he would have wanted to continue his employment.

In addition, since retirement pay is determined by the grade at the time of retirement, if he was “not demoted,” as the prefecture responded, then it should be calculated based on the amount he would have received as director of the Nishi-Harima Prefectural Office. Is Hyogo Prefecture really preparing to pay that amount? The answer to this question is clear: “We have to watch them very carefully, or we will be afraid of what they will do to us. Another official added, “The bureau chief (Mr. A) has taken the computer away from us.

I heard that the director (Mr. A) had his computer taken away from him and was forced to search through 14 years’ worth of logs. I sensed the strong will and pressure of the prefectural authorities to use the governor’s powerful authority to investigate his surroundings, seize his weakness, and silence him at any cost.

The testimony of prefectural officials is essential to getting to the bottom of the situation, but it is highly doubtful that the truth will be properly reported now that they are under such blatant pressure.