Hyogo Gov. Denies Alleged Power Harassment in Sworn Testimony

Jiji Press

12:43 JST, August 31, 2024

KOBE (Jiji Press) — Hyogo Gov. Motohiko Saito denied allegations of power harassment, or harassment using a superior position in the workplace, in his sworn testimony to the Hyogo prefectural assembly on Friday.

It was his first testimony about the allegations to a special investigative committee of the assembly.

Speaking to reporters later in the day, the governor reiterated his intention not to resign over the allegations. “I would like to move the prefectural government forward while facing up to what I should reflect on and correct,” he said.

During the testimony, Saito defended his decision to punish a prefectural official who had distributed documents accusing him of harassment and other alleged problematic behavior. The official died in July.

Regarding his remark calling the official a liar at a press conference in March, the governor admitted that the wording was “not appropriate,” but added that the documents were “highly defamatory.”

The documents alleged that, while visiting a museum in an official car, the governor scolded officials after he had to walk from the vehicle to the museum after the car stopped short of the entrance.

“I thought the car would stop in front of the entrance,” Saito explained. “I would like to apologize if I made anyone feel uncomfortable,” he added.

As for the instructions he gave to officials at night and while on holiday via a messaging app, he told the committee that they were related to important issues, saying, “I urgently wanted reports, contacts and consultations to be made correctly.”