Refer Report

There have been a series of eyewitness accounts of inappropriate behavior by Motohiko Saito, the governor of Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, who is embroiled in controversy over his bullying, such as when he became enraged and said, “I am the governor of Hyogo Prefecture” when he was refused a meal at a hotel restaurant that did not accept same-day reservations.

The Yomiuri Shimbun reported on the 4th that in an “internal whistleblower survey on suspicions of the governor’s abuse of power” conducted by the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly Special Investigation Committee “Hundred Articles Committee,” a prefectural civil servant testified that Governor Saito became angry and said, “I’m the governor” when a same-day reservation was refused at a restaurant that required advance reservations. Saito used his position as the governor to demand “special treatment,” and when that was not met, he even created an atmosphere of fear.

Also, if you look at the cases of bullying that current public officials wrote in their free records, there was a claim that Governor Saito, while inspecting a facility in the prefecture, used a multipurpose bathroom for the disabled because he could not use a regular bathroom with many people. At the time, when the governor requested a bathroom with a mirror and sink, the staff members who accompanied him inevitably allowed him to temporarily use a bathroom for the disabled. In addition, it was confirmed that about 70 current public officials responded that they had “seen Governor Saito’s bullying.”

The suspicion of Governor Saito’s abuse of power first began in March with a revelation from Director K of the current branch. At the time, Hyogo Prefecture conducted its own investigation and concluded that Director K’s claims, as the whistleblower, were “not true,” and instead imposed a three-month suspension on Director K. After Director K committed suicide and the scandal spread, the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly has been collecting reports of abuse of power from all 9,700 public officials in the prefecture for two weeks since July 31, and is currently tracking down clues.

On the 23rd of last month, the Swan Committee reviewed the answers of 4,500 people who responded to the questionnaire and announced the first interim results, and this time announced the second results of 2,000 people. Even at the time of the first announcement, there were testimonies that Governor Saito received oysters from fish farmers in the prefecture and sent them home, or that he received expensive shoes and took them away. There were also employees who confirmed the ‘humiliation of bullying’, such as when the governor visited a leather factory in the prefecture and requested a high-end leather jacket, but was rejected by the company.

Some members of the current Diet are pushing for a motion of no confidence in Governor Saito for his inappropriate behavior. The “4th faction,” which consists mainly of Hyogo Prefecture members of the Constitutional Democratic Party, the main opposition party in Japan, plans to submit a resolution at the September session that opens on the 19th. In relation to this, Governor Saito stated on the 2nd, “I think there will be movement in the Diet, but I will faithfully carry out my work for the September session while responding to the Swan Committee.” In order to pass a motion of no confidence, the attendance of two-thirds of the total members of the Diet and the approval of three-quarters of the members present are required, and the judgment of the majority Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Restoration Party members will hold the fate of Governor Saito in check.

Tokyo/Hong Seok-jae, special correspondent forchis@hani.co.kr

Source: Korean