Former Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito Hints at Prosecutorial Action and Possible Additional Charges in Press Conference

Governor Saito changes after additional accusations

The “battles” between Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito (47) and reporters at regular press conferences have continued for over six months. However, there now appear to be new developments.

“I’ve heard that the investigation toward criminal penalties has entered its final stage. It seems likely that the Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office will soon take criminal action.”

This was reported by a journalist from a Kansai-based TV station.

Since last November, the governor’s press conferences have been shortened—previously, they could last up to three hours, but now they are limited to about one hour. With more reporters attending, questions from journalists outside the press club or freelance reporters are now determined by lottery.

“They (the governor’s team) probably want to avoid intense questioning as much as possible. His usual ‘Saito responses’ remain, but in recent conferences, his tone and expressions clearly convey irritation. This is especially noticeable since the ‘additional charges’ were filed,” said the same Kansai TV journalist.

In December last year, lawyers Nobuo Gohara and Hiroyuki Uewaki (professor at Kobe Gakuin University) filed a criminal complaint against Governor Saito and the PR company president, alleging violations of the Public Offices Election Act (bribery and being bribed), claiming that about 700,000 yen paid from Saito’s camp to the PR company was used as compensation for the company president’s SNS operations.

In February this year, the Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office, together with the Hyogo Prefectural Police, conducted a search of locations related to the PR company, and in June, the police sent documents on the two individuals to the prosecutors. In August, Governor Saito was voluntarily questioned.

Amid this, on September 5, an additional complaint was filed. Lawyers Gohara and Uewaki submitted a new complaint to the Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office, alleging further Public Offices Election Act violations related to influencing or being influenced in favor of the governor and the PR company president.

Governor Saito’s side has two points of rebuttal

Lawyer Gohara and others point out that even if the interactions between Governor Saito’s camp and the PR company do not constitute bribery, they could still fall under the crime of influencing interests.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications website describes influencing interests as follows:

“It applies when voting is induced by taking advantage of a special direct interest in a specific or limited range of voters or election campaigners, or in organizations related to them (temples, companies, schools, unions, municipalities, etc.). It also applies when one complies with or encourages such influence.”

The claims from the female president and Saito’s camp are:

・The president’s participation in election campaigning was voluntary, and she did not receive payment personally.

・The money was paid to the company for costs such as poster production, and was unrelated to election campaigning.

Regarding the additional charges for influencing interests, Kosuke Nishiwaki, former head of TV Asahi’s legal department, was interviewed:

“Bribery applies when money or benefits are given directly to someone participating in election campaigning. In this case, Saito’s camp did not pay the PR company president directly but formally paid the company. They may argue that the president and the company are completely separate, claiming it is not bribery.

However, under the crime of influencing interests, since the president and the PR company are closely connected, providing benefits to the company could be seen as inducing the president to participate in election campaigning. Using the relationship with a company or organization to direct employees or members to vote or assist in campaigning can constitute influencing interests.”

The female president might still claim:

“I originally intended to volunteer, unrelated to the company’s profits.”

But according to Nishiwaki:

“Two months before the election, Motohiko Saito personally visited the PR company and met the president, and immediately afterward the company received work orders and the president participated in election campaigning. Considering this timeline, it is questionable whether that excuse will hold.”

While there may still be potential defenses, Governor Saito’s encirclement is clearly tightening.