Limitations in Protecting Governor Saito Amidst Resignations of Close Aides

It has been a month since former Hyogo Prefecture official A (60) took his own life after exposing various allegations against Governor Motohiko Saito (46).

 

During this period, Governor Saito has entered his fourth year in office but has once again denied any intention to resign. He has expressed his intention to continue as governor until his term ends in July next year, stating “I received a significant mandate from the voters in the election.”

 

However, the four key prefectural officials who supported Governor Saito seem unlikely to stay until the end. As the full-scale investigation by the hundred-member committee looms, they are increasingly distancing themselves. The governor, who had been on loan to Miyagi Prefecture since 2013 as a general affairs bureaucrat, and these officials, who were dispatched from Hyogo Prefecture and had often socialized together in Sendai, were mockingly referred to as the “Beef Tongue Club.” The officials in charge of the prefectural administration are starting to distance themselves from the prefecture for various reasons, including health issues, leading Hyogo Prefecture into unprecedented turmoil. 

 

The first to withdraw was Deputy Governor Yasutaka Katayama, Saito’s right-hand man. On July 12, he held a press conference, expressing his deep regret by saying, “I am truly very disappointed,” and announced his resignation. He officially stepped down on July 31. A prefectural official revealed:

 

“After announcing his resignation, Katayama continued to come to the office, but he was rarely seen within the main office. Many media outlets were chasing him to hear his side of the story, so he tried to avoid being found and quietly left. There was no formal ceremony on his last day.”

 

Following him, Koichi Kobashi, the prefecture’s number four official and Director in charge of Youth and Z Generation support, claimed health issues and submitted a request for transfer. In response, the prefecture demoted Kobashi to a department head level in the General Affairs Division. He was also involved in handling the prefecture’s response after the accusations were made.

 

“It became known from the early release of the July 25 issue of Weekly Bunshun, which featured the article ‘Hyogo Prefecture Governor Power Harassment: The ‘Seven Coercers’ Who Pushed the Former Bureau Director to Suicide,’ that Kobashi and three other senior officials had engaged in coercive actions against A. Until the early release on July 17, Kobashi continued his duties with an indifferent attitude. However, by that afternoon, he was reportedly pale and did not come to work since July 18. On July 22, he officially submitted his request for demotion.” (As previously mentioned)