Why Japan’s Biggest News Organizations Are Suddenly Zeroing In on the Takaichi Camp Controversy

“I don’t want to become a paid subscriber”

The people around Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (65) have suddenly found themselves at the center of controversy.

“Shukan Bunshun” has been extensively reporting on the so-called negative campaign video scandal. According to the reports, members of Takaichi’s camp allegedly produced videos attacking rival candidates during last year’s leadership election of the Liberal Democratic Party.

A central figure in the controversy is Ken Matsui, president of the company “neu,” who was previously reported as the development manager in the “Sanae Token” affair. Matsui has spoken with “Bunshun” and other media outlets, revealing details about the alleged negative campaigning operation.

At first, Prime Minister Takaichi maintained that Matsui was someone she:

“Did not know and had never met.”

However, her position has gradually become more difficult as “Bunshun” released Zoom audio recordings that it claims show communications between Matsui and one of Takaichi’s secretaries, identified as Secretary A.

During a June 4 session of the House of Councillors Budget Committee, opposition lawmakers asked the prime minister to confirm the authenticity of the audio recordings. She initially responded:

“I don’t want to become a paid subscriber to ‘Bunshun.’”

The following day, she stated that she had finally listened to the recordings and concluded:

“The voice sounded much higher-pitched and more energetic than when that secretary speaks with me, so it felt strange.”

When asked why she had not protested to “Bunshun” if she believed there were issues with the report, she replied:

“I am carrying the responsibility of governing Japan. I do not have time to spend on such matters.”

The opposition was unconvinced by her explanation and has demanded that the secretary be called as a parliamentary witness.

A source connected to the opposition commented:

“Prime Minister Takaichi has never been particularly good at admitting mistakes or apologizing. Back in 2023, when internal documents concerning political neutrality leaked during her time as Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, she strongly insisted they were fabricated. She even said she would stake her political career on it. In the end, however, the ministry acknowledged that the documents were genuine. Even so, she managed to survive politically. She may believe she can weather this controversy in the same way.”

If the allegations were to be acknowledged, the matter could potentially develop into a debate over Japan’s Public Offices Election Act, which prohibits the publication of false information intended to cause a candidate’s defeat.

A source within the ruling coalition said:

“When the prime minister declared during the Budget Committee session that she was carrying the responsibility of governing Japan, LDP lawmakers shouted, ‘That’s right!’ and broke into applause. It reflected their determination that they must protect the prime minister.”

Her qualifications as Prime Minister are being questioned

However, the situation has been worsening by the day. At first, major national newspapers and television networks, including NHK, largely stayed on the sidelines regarding the allegations. Now, however, they are scrambling to uncover new information.

On June 7, Kyodo News reported that during last year’s LDP presidential election, Takashi’s camp was directly involved in creating a negative campaign video targeting Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi (45).

According to Matsui, the same key figure mentioned earlier, Takashi’s secretary consulted him about:

“How can we overtake Koizumi?”

Matsui says he proposed negative messaging and subsequently created and posted a video portraying Koizumi as a puppet. Takashi’s office has completely denied any involvement and emphasized that it has no intention of conducting a new investigation.

“Major media outlets never expected Bunshun to pursue this story as aggressively as it has,” a reporter from a television news division told this publication.

“The release of Secretary A’s audio recordings was a turning point. Once those recordings became public, other media organizations that had remained silent quickly shifted toward scrutinizing Takashi. Matsui Ken was also the development manager behind the Sanae Token project. If a broader picture emerges in which token-related benefits were provided in return for efforts promoting negative campaign videos, it becomes impossible for major media to ignore. In some companies, field reporters reportedly pushed management to cover the story more aggressively.”

Concerned about potential risks, Matsui is reportedly no longer in Japan. He has been responding to media interview requests online, and each time Takashi’s camp issues a denial, new information seems to emerge.

“This issue involves allegations that the sitting prime minister’s camp distributed videos designed to lower the reputation of rival candidates. If true, it touches on the very foundations of democracy. Even if no laws were broken, there is no question that it raises ethical concerns and calls the prime minister’s fitness for office into question,” said a political reporter for a national newspaper.

“That said, even if the opposition corners her, it may still be possible to escape the situation by placing responsibility on Secretary A and claiming, ‘The secretary lied.'”

Meanwhile, cabinet approval ratings, which had previously been exceptionally strong, are showing signs of decline. The drop is particularly noticeable among younger voters. According to a nationwide poll conducted by Mainichi Shimbun on May 23–24, support among people aged 18 to 29 fell six percentage points from the previous month to 45%, marking the first time it dropped below 50%.

Even so, Takashi’s side continues to characterize the situation as “temporary” and “information manipulation,” while maintaining a certain distance from the press. During a question-and-answer session concerning the supplementary budget proposal for fiscal 2026, officials from the Prime Minister’s Office reportedly requested:

“One round of questions for all media companies.”

As a result, the press club representative submitted multiple questions on behalf of all outlets.

“Prime Minister Takashi appears more focused on communicating through social media than engaging in dialogue with the press. Social media is fundamentally one-way communication—you only have to share what is favorable to you. By covering the negative campaign video allegations, news organizations are also trying to demonstrate their professional pride and sense of mission,” the same national newspaper reporter said.

Whether Prime Minister Takashi’s stance of “I know nothing about it” will continue to hold remains to be seen.