Hyogo Police Chief Decries Social Media Misinformation; Statement Came in Wake of Defamed Politician’s Death

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:11 JST, February 1, 2025

Hyogo Prefectural Police Chief Toshiyuki Murai explained his decision to publicly refute false information circulating on social media following the death of a former Hyogo prefectural assembly member in an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun on Friday. He said that if the false information were to continue spreading, “it would be detrimental to society.”

Murai had previously addressed the false claim that the former assembly member was scheduled to be arrested, stating in the prefectural assembly on Jan. 20 that it was “entirely false.” It is highly unusual for the police to comment on specific cases. Murai emphasized that his response “was based on common sense.”

The deceased former assembly member was Hideaki Takeuchi, a member of the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly’s special investigative committee probing allegations of workplace harassment by Gov. Motohiko Saito. After his resignation from the assembly, social media posts emerged claiming that he was under police investigation. After his death, Takashi Tachibana, the leader of the NHK Party political group, stated in a YouTube video that Takeuchi had been “scheduled to be arrested.”

In the interview, Murai said: “There is no justification for allowing completely false information to spread. There are also people who spread misinformation without malice.” He further stated, “I couldn’t stand by while the dignity of the deceased was being damaged.”

Regarding an official post by the Hyogo Prefectural Police on the social media website X urging people to stop spreading defamatory content, Murai said: “There was no sign of reconciliation between opposing sides, and leaving the situation unaddressed would have put Hyogo’s future at risk. I wanted to put an end to the ongoing division in certain circles.”

During the prefectural assembly session, Murai stated: “Takeuchi was never investigated as a suspect, nor was there any discussion of his arrest. These claims are entirely false, and clear misinformation is being spread on social media. I find this extremely regrettable.”

The following is excerpted from the interview:

The Yomiuri Shimbun: What led to your statement in the prefectural assembly?

Toshiyuki Murai: The deceased has no opportunity to refute the claims. Simply reporting that “a senior police official denied the allegation” did not stop the spread of misinformation on social media. As the head of the prefectural police, I believed that making a direct statement would be more effective in refuting the misinformation and was the most reasonable course of action.

Yomiuri: Generally, police do not disclose information about investigations.

Murai: Based on common sense, I couldn’t stand by while the dignity of the deceased was being damaged. The primary responsibility lies with those who deliberately spread falsehoods, but there are also people who spread misinformation without malice. It was necessary to put a stop to it.

Yomiuri: Why did the prefectural police post on X on Jan. 22, urging people to stop the defamation?

Murai: Even after the gubernatorial election, misinformation continued to spread. We considered issuing a message at the time but ultimately decided against it. However, my recent statement in the assembly gained significant attention, so after consulting with senior officials, I decided to post the message myself.

Yomiuri: Why did you make this statement now?

Murai: I wanted to put an end to the ongoing division in certain circles. I had assumed that once the election was over, the conflict would subside, but tensions remained. There was no sign of reconciliation between opposing sides, and leaving the situation unaddressed would have put Hyogo’s future at risk.

Yomiuri: What is your view on the current state of Hyogo?

Murai: I feel that people with strong biases are completely unwilling to engage with one another, which has led to deep division. The former assembly member’s death has only intensified this divide, and I cannot ignore it.