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Hyogo Governor Probe Assemblyman Found Dead; Suicide Suspected Due to Social Media Harassment

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
The Hyogo prefectural government office

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:52 JST, January 20, 2025

Hideaki Takeuchi, a former Hyogo prefectural assembly member who was part of a committee probing Gov. Motohiko Saito for allegations of “power harassment,” was found dead, according to police sources.

Circumstances at the scene suggest suicide.

According to police and prefectural sources, Takeuchi’s family discovered him unresponsive at his home in Himeji on Saturday afternoon. The 50-year-old was later pronounced dead at a hospital. It remains unclear whether a suicide note was left.

Takeuchi’s questioning of Gov. Saito was widely shared on social media during last year’s gubernatorial election, leading to a barrage of slanderous posts about him. Takeuchi resigned as assembly member the day after the election results, citing “personal reasons.” Prefectural sources revealed he had been distressed by the posts.

A close acquaintance disclosed that just days before his death, Takeuchi looked very worried, saying, “I’m sorry for causing trouble” and “I don’t know who might come to my house. It’s frightening.”

Takashi Tachibana, leader of the NHK Party political organization who ran for the gubernatorial election, said on YouTube on Sunday, “[Takeuchi] was scheduled to be arrested tomorrow.” Tachibana subsequently made the video about Takeuchi private. On Monday, he posted on his social media account on X that he deleted the content, citing the possibility that it might interfere with the police investigation.

“Takeuchi is not under investigation,” a senior prefectural police official clarified.

Gov. Saito on Monday expressed deep regret over Takeuchi’s distress caused by the online slanders, stating to reporters, “It is truly heartbreaking. Acts of harming others on social media must not be tolerated.”

Takeuchi was first elected in 2007 and was a member of the Hyogo Citizens Union, the fourth-largest caucus in the Hyogo prefectural assembly, affiliated with the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.