Hyogo Police Probe Takashi Tachibana and Ex-Governor Saito

Hyogo Prefectural Police have begun an investigation into former Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito and Takashi Tachibana, leader of the NHK Party.

 

As the year-end approaches, the movements of the Hyogo Prefectural Police are becoming busy.

Former Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito, who was re-elected in the recent Hyogo gubernatorial election, and Takashi Tachibana, the leader of the NHK Party who supported the governor from behind, are now facing investigation.

Tachibana lost in the December 15th Osaka Izumi-Otsu mayoral election, receiving only 4,439 votes against the incumbent Kenichi Minamide’s 21,700 votes. The number of eligible voters was 60,239, with a voter turnout of 44.07%, an increase of 6.27 percentage points from the previous election, according to a local TV station reporter.

“Tachibana declared that he would create a shopping street lined with famous YouTubers’ shops and offer YouTubers’ original merchandise as return gifts for hometown tax donations. He also promised subsidies for people who threw out their NHK-compatible TVs and purchased tuner-less televisions. However, his ideas had no impact. In fact, his opponents flooded the streets, and his street speeches became chaotic. There were even moments where he argued with people,” the reporter said.

Further developments followed after the election campaign.

Could you clarify what you’d like to know about the phone call to Tachibana from the Hyogo Prefectural Police?

He updated his YouTube channel on the 16th.

He said, “I just received a call from the Hyogo Prefectural Police Headquarters.”

He revealed that the Hyogo Prefectural Police had requested a voluntary questioning. The accusation is defamation against Kenichi Okutani, a member of the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly and the chairman of the Hundred-Article Committee. Okutani had filed a criminal complaint last month, claiming that false information was posted about him by Tachibana on social media.

 Tachibana stated.

“He received a call from the second investigative division. I will go to the Hyogo Prefectural Police on December 22.”

He gave a warning and continued.

“I understand that I defamed Chairman Okutani. However, if there is substantial truth, there is no problem.”

He maintained his confident stance.

According to Tachibana, this is his sixth defamation lawsuit this year alone. He seems to be saying that he is used to it by now, but Okutani has also filed a criminal defamation complaint against Tachibana for alleged threats.

“Tachibana has publicly acknowledged that he has bipolar disorder. Since the Tokyo gubernatorial election earlier this year, he has been working nonstop, with his mood being high. He boasts to those around him, saying ‘I’m not afraid of arrest.’ He has already received a suspended sentence in a past trial, and if he is convicted again, he would be incarcerated. However, he seems to view it as something that would add prestige to his reputation” (a person familiar with Tachibana).

Tachibana, who has become an invincible person, is expected to run for mayor of Minamiawaji City in Hyogo Prefecture in January next year. Furthermore, he has shown interest in the Chiba Prefecture governor’s election, scheduled for March 16. The speculation that this string of elections could be a way to avoid arrest is circulating.

At the same time, it seems that Governor Saito is also coming under investigation by the Hyogo Prefectural Police.

Investigating with an Eye on the SNS Election Era

In the gubernatorial election, the representative of the PR company claimed that they had been entrusted with overall public relations by Governor Saito’s side.

“Entrusted with overall public relations.”

The Kobe District Prosecutor’s Office and the Prefectural Police accepted a complaint on December 16 regarding an alleged violation of the Public Office Election Law, claiming that Saito paid a representative for election campaign work during the governor’s race.

The complaint was filed by lawyer Nobuhiro Gohara and Professor Hiroyuki Kamigaki of Kobe Gakuin University. According to the complaint, Saito is suspected of paying 715,000 yen to the representative as compensation for planning and executing general public relations, including online campaign activities during the election period.

In response, Saito’s side has argued that it was payment for poster-related costs.

“Poster-related costs.”

They claim that there is no illegality, arguing it was for poster-related costs.

“It is unusual that the report was accepted less than a month after the accusation. The prefectural police will likely interview the female CEO of the PR company voluntarily. What statements come out during that questioning will be crucial.” (Police ex-official)

The simultaneous investigation into Saito and Tachibana is by no means a coincidence. Authorities believe it is necessary to uncover what exactly happened during the Hyogo gubernatorial election.

“On social media, misinformation and defamation from opposing camps also spread. It is necessary to investigate who caused this distorted wave. Authorities likely want to understand and share the workings of the SNS election era. In this case, the key figures are Saito and Tachibana. That is why they moved swiftly at the end of the year.”

According to a political reporter from a national newspaper. What will become of Saito and Tachibana’s fate—?