<figure id="attachment_390858" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-390858" style="width: 740px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="fe4c9173"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/09/e3b69b872855956cdc44dbb43867aa5c.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-390858" class="wp-caption-text">Governor Saito attends the press conference. His eyes appear to be moist, perhaps holding back tears.</figcaption></figure>
<h2> He appeared to be in tears. &#8230;&#8230;</h2>
<p> Two weeks after Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito, 46, began his testimony, the situation surrounding Hyogo Prefecture is changing rapidly and stormily.</p>
<p> The witness examination took place at the August 30 meeting of the Hundred Articles Committee. The governor answered the questions without hesitation, sometimes evading the questioning with ambiguous answers <span class="strongInContent">such as &#8220;I don&#8217;t remember.</span></p>
<p> When the governor appeared as a witness for the second time on September 6, he appeared to have a somewhat relaxed expression on his face. However, his expression began to cloud over when Commissioner Yuichi Matsumoto read the list of gifts one by one to confirm whether he had received them, and Commissioner Hideaki Takeuchi questioned whether Masahiro Fujiwara, a lawyer who had cooperated with the prefectural government&#8217;s internal investigation, was a party of interest.</p>
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
<p> The testimony was shaky when he said that he &#8220;threw a sticky note&#8221; at former Vice Governor Yasutaka Katayama (64). He reiterated <span class="strongInContent">that there was no legal problem with the prefectural government&#8217;s response</span>, but he wavered, <span class="strongInContent">saying, &#8220;I don&#8217;t know what my moral responsibility is.</span> He also refuted the gifts <span class="strongInContent">, saying that they were &#8220;in the governor&#8217;s office&#8221; and &#8220;used for official business</span>, <span class="strongInContent">&#8220;</span> but was also questioned about the food he took home with him.</p>
<p> And the governor&#8217;s comments and responses on this day were to have a major impact on the assembly. Calls for the governor&#8217;s resignation grew stronger, with all 86 members of the prefectural assembly and all groups, including independent members, calling for his &#8220;immediate resignation. Even so, however, the governor once again denied that he would resign.</p>
<p> The LDP and the Restoration Association, which endorsed Governor Saito in the gubernatorial election, also supported the resignation call, but the actions of the two parties, the largest and second-largest, reveal both their true intentions and their front intentions.</p>
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" We should cut it off as soon as possible."></div>
<h2>Voices Point Out &#8220;Self-Preservation</h2>
<p> The Japan Innovation Party decided on September 9 to ask the governor to resign and call for a &#8220;fresh election. Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura, 49, co-chairman of The Japan Innovation Party, <span class="strongInContent">told</span> reporters <span class="strongInContent">, &#8220;Considering the situation in which the prefectural administration is not progressing well as a result, we discussed the possibility that he should honestly admit where he is wrong, resign as governor, and ask the people of the prefecture what he thinks</span>.</p>
<p> The Restoration Association&#8217;s sudden change of policy was not without its share of criticism, but there were also circumstances that compelled it to do so. One member of the Osaka Restoration Association lamented.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> The criticisms far exceeded those of the Expo response. This was especially true during the summer, when we had many opportunities to meet with our supporters at local festivals and other events. In anticipation of the dissolution and general election, there was a series of straightforward opinions among the assembly members that &#8216;Governor Saito should be cut off as soon as possible.'&#8221;</span></p>
<figure id="attachment_390857" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-390857" style="width: 1095px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="fa9cd465"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/09/af4ed7316ba4f854640eacd5ceffbcc8.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-390857" class="wp-caption-text"> A petition jointly submitted by the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly members calling for Governor Saito&#8217;s resignation.</figcaption></figure>
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
<p> On September 12, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) also submitted a resignation petition to the governor, claiming that &#8220;trust in the prefectural government has been severely damaged. The various factions are reportedly working toward submitting a no-confidence motion on September 19. However, some say that <span class="strongInContent">the</span> &#8220;process&#8221; leading up to this point <span class="strongInContent">&#8220;seems self-protective</span>. An official of the Hyogo Prefectural Federation of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) said, &#8220;The governor&#8217;s first testimony was a testimony against the government.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> After the governor&#8217;s first testimony on April 6, there were harsh opinions that &#8216;the LDP&#8217;s pursuit was too lenient&#8217; and &#8216;the Hyakujo Committee is not a place to express personal opinions and views. In some respects, this led to the harsh pursuit of the second witness testimony. Now the Restoration Association is being criticized, but the wind could change at any time, saying, &#8216;The private citizens are also responsible for recommending them. &#8216; The elected Diet members in Hyogo are avoiding getting involved in this issue, perhaps in anticipation of the election.&#8221;</span></p>
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" Strategies for the general election are also available at ......"></div>
<figure id="attachment_390859" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-390859" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="7818f782"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/09/539da5d68803e768b429b1d38fd500eb.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-390859" class="wp-caption-text">Governor Saito being questioned by the Article 100 Committee regarding his tapping on the desk.</figcaption></figure>
<h2> Complaints of &#8220;Running away from the issue</h2>
<p> One Liberal Democratic Party prefectural assembly member complained about this situation.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I feel a strong sense of discomfort with the atmosphere in which decision-making on prefectural issues is left to the prefectural assembly. Some members of the prefectural assembly have petitioned the Diet members, saying, &#8216;The Diet members are also accountable for their actions, so make sure they explain their actions,&#8217; but in the end, this has not been realized. If the no-confidence motion is passed and the governor chooses to dissolve the assembly, the prefectural assembly will also have to fight a tough election. People don&#8217;t talk about it, but some council members are not prepared and want to avoid an election. That is why I sometimes feel indignant at the irresponsibility of the parliamentary delegation.&#8221;</span></p>
<p> If the Diet were to be dissolved, it would not only be Governor Saito who would have to ask the people of the prefecture, including the prefectural assembly members, for their belief in him. Given the governor&#8217;s rejection of calls for his resignation from the entire prefectural assembly and from the Restoration Headquarters, dissolution of the assembly is more likely than resignation. The current turmoil is no longer limited to the governor&#8217;s decision, but also involves a political situation that could directly lead to the House of Representatives elections.</p>
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
<p> Regardless of whether or not the governor resigns, the Article 100 Committee will continue to meet. The next meeting is scheduled for October 24, and the issue will be whether the letter of accusation sent by the deceased former bureau chief constitutes whistleblowing, a question that has been the subject of much discussion. One member of the 100th committee said, &#8220;The issue will be whether the letter of accusation sent by the deceased former bureau chief constitutes whistleblowing.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> One member of the Hyakujo committee said, &#8220;The key point is the appearance of Tomoaki Inomoto, the former general manager of the General Affairs Department, who led the disciplinary action. The testimony of Mr. Inomoto, who is said to have initiated the disciplinary action, will have a significant impact on the determination of whether or not it constitutes whistleblowing. However, Mr. Inomoto was also called as a witness on September 5 for allegedly leading the disciplinary action against the former Prefectural Citizens Bureau Director, but he did not attend the hearing because he has not recovered from his mental and physical ailments and because there were death threats made against him. We do not know what will happen this time either. In any case, all eyes are on Inomoto&#8217;s words and actions at the Article 100 Committee meeting.&#8221;</span></p>
<p> As for his own future course of action in the event that the no-confidence motion is passed, Governor Saito said, <span class="strongInContent">&#8220;In accordance with the law, I will think carefully about the various options available to me.</span> The people of the prefecture may have an opportunity to &#8220;make an assessment&#8221; not only of the governor, but also of the prefectural assembly and political parties.</p>
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>


 Kyodo News (1st and 3rd photos)

 Two weeks have passed since the testimony of Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito (46) began, and the situation surrounding Hyogo Prefecture is changing rapidly like a storm. We take a look at the latest developments.

The &#8220;behind-the-scenes battle&#8221; between the Hyogo Governor Saito and the &#8220;responsible for endorsement&#8221; Ishin &#038; LDP is still troubling even after the Governor tendered his resignation.

The “behind-the-scenes battle” between the Hyogo Governor Saito and the “responsible for endorsement” Ishin & LDP is still troubling even after the Governor tendered his resignation.

Access Ranking