Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito Faces Potential Illegality Over SNS Supervision Request

A new development in the suspicion?

Hyogo Prefecture Governor Motohiko Saito has been criminally accused by university professors and others on suspicion of violating the Public Offices Election Law (bribery and being bribed), and this was accepted by the Kobe District Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Hyogo Prefectural Police on December 16.

A crucial piece of evidence for the ongoing investigation has now surfaced.

In the morning edition of the Yomiuri Shimbun on the 20th, it was reported that a public relations representative from Governor Saito’s side:

“The SNS supervision was entrusted to a PR company.”

It was reported that a message was sent to one of his supporters.

 

Governor Saito’s side claimed that it was an individual volunteer.

Up until now, the female representative of a PR company in Hyogo Prefecture had written on note that she was entrusted with overall public relations by Governor Motohiko Saito. However, Governor Saito’s side denied this, stating that they only paid approximately 710,000 yen for poster design, which is permitted under the Public Offices Election Act. The female representative actively participated in activities such as riding in campaign vehicles and streaming content, but Governor Saito’s side claimed that these were done as personal volunteer work.

However, according to a recent report by the Yomiuri Shimbun, a supporter of Governor Saito proposed on October 5, before the official announcement, to Governor Saito and his public relations staff:

“We can assist with information dissemination during the election using social media.”

The following day, October 6, Governor Saito’s public relations staff sent a message to the supporter’s smartphone, stating:

“Social media supervision has been entrusted to a PR company.”

This message was understood as a rejection of the proposal. The official X (formerly Twitter) account supporting Governor Saito appeared to have been set up soon after, on the following day.

 

The possibility of establishing a bribery offense under the Public Offices Election Act.

“The message allegedly sent by Saito’s side this time aligns with the content written on note by the PR company representative, stating that she handled overall public relations using SNS and other methods. On the representative’s note, there is still a photo showing a monitor in the office displaying ‘Hyogo Prefecture Governor Election SNS Strategy.’ while she explained in front of Governor Saito. It is labeled as part of a proposal document, and below the photo, it says, ‘Explaining #Saito Moto-governor Ganbare in the office.’ Doesn’t this make it clear that the PR company was the one making proposals rather than Saito’s side taking the initiative to have them produce it?” (Reporter from an Osaka-based TV station)

What kind of evidence could this be? Lawyer Kenta Morizane from Morizane Law Office points out two issues:

“First, the public relations activities allegedly entrusted by Saito’s side were not to an individual but to a PR company whose main business involves SNS management and consulting. Based on the proposal materials and posted content from that company, there are many factors that could contribute to establishing a bribery offense under the Public Offices Election Act. How the PR company explains this to investigative authorities will likely be a key point. Secondly, even if SNS supervision were done as a volunteer activity, such actions could fall under donations from a corporation to an individual politician, potentially violating the Political Funds Control Act.”

Governor Saito is a former bureaucrat from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, overseeing the election and political funds system. Why has such a sloppy suspicion arisen around Saito, a so-called professional among professionals? Or has he secured a loophole just enough to save himself?

How will investigative authorities interpret the newly surfaced “evidence” of the message requesting “SNS supervision”?