At 3pm on 30 August, the Hundred Articles Committee held its first witness hearing with the Governor.
In response to the pursuit of his own allegations of power harassment, he flatly denied them.
Approved questioning of Governor Saito, which finally began: ‘I have no recollection of it’ and a full denial of the power harassment allegations.
The witness examination of Governor Saito by the Article 100 Committee began at 3pm.
Governor Motohiko Saito of Hyogo Prefecture: “I swear to tell the truth according to my conscience and to conceal nothing and to add nothing.”
He began to pursue allegations of power harassment against staff and other matters.
Kenichi Okutani, chairperson of the Article 100 Committee, asked: “Isn’t this an excessive demand on the staff?”
Governor Motohiko Saito of Hyogo Prefecture: “As I recognised at the time, it was a reasonable point of view and recognition.”
[Kenichi Okutani, Chairman of the Hundred Articles Committee] “Did you reprimand them in a harsh tone, saying things like ‘Don’t do it on your own’ or ‘I didn’t hear you’?”
In response to the numerous allegations of power harassment revealed in the survey, “I want to reflect and apologise”.
The incident began in March this year when the former director of Hyogo Prefecture’s Nishi-Harima Prefectural People’s Bureau accused Governor Saito of alleged power harassment.
The governor, Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture (March 2012): “The act of making and distributing a sentence, including a lie or two, during working hours is unbecoming of a public official.”
However, some of the allegations were later found to be true, including that the governor was made to walk 20 metres from his official car to the entrance of the Prefectural Museum of Archaeology, which he visited on official business, and that he severely reprimanded the staff.
An Article 100 committee was set up by the prefectural assembly to investigate the truth of the accusations, and the former director of the Prefectural People’s Bureau was scheduled to attend as a witness, but he died in July this year.
The Hyakujo Committee conducted a questionnaire survey of all prefectural employees, approximately 10 000 people.
According to the interim report, approximately 40% of prefectural employees responded that they “directly or indirectly know” about the governor’s power harassment.
Some of the testimonies include.
‘When he gets angry, he starts banging on the desk.’
‘In his official car, the governor became furious and kicked the front seat.’
‘He was so severely abusive that he asked me if I could even press the elevator button.
Governor Saito made a series of such allegations on the witness stand today…
[Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture] ‘I want to reflect on the fact that I was harsh and strong in my language, and I want to apologise to the staff for making them feel uncomfortable, and if there is anyone like that, I would like to apologise to them.’
■”I did not pay attention to the fact that he was made to walk 20 metres and reprimanded”
Questions continued to be asked by the chairperson and members of various groups about the power harassment allegations.
[Kenichi Okutani, chairperson of the 100-metre committee] “What did the governor say to the staff member about being made to get out of his official car and walk 20 metres in front of him, and about yelling at him?”
Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture: “I told them why they did not remove the car stop and whether they had not forgotten to do so.”
Kenichi Okutani, Chairman of the Hundred Articles Committee: “What was the volume and extent of your voice?”
Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture: “It was just before the meeting started, so I told them in a loud voice, partly because it was outside.”
Kenichi Okutani, Chairperson of the Hundred Articles Committee: “Why did you speak louder?”
Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture: “Two officials were waiting just before the roadblock, so I thought the car would naturally go there, but it suddenly stopped, so I asked, ‘What happened?I said, ‘There is a car stop.I strongly felt that if they were waiting over there, maybe they had forgotten to remove the car stop, so I strongly felt that they had not secured the car’s line of flow.So I pointed it out and cautioned him’, ‘I didn’t caution him about being walked over, I cautioned him about the fact that he should have kept the flow line clear for the cars’.
On the other hand, the head of the Higashi-Harima Prefectural People’s Bureau, who is said to have actually been reprimanded by the governor, said in a witness interview held today that he did not think it was within the socially accepted bounds of necessity, and when asked about this.
[LDP member Takao Fujita] “Some testified that it is beyond the scope of guidance in terms of socially accepted norms.Do you feel sorry for them?”
Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture: “Based on my perception at the time, I think the caution that I should secure the line of flow better was unavoidable, but if I gave a loud and strict warning and that made the staff members uncomfortable or felt that way, I would like to reflect on that and apologise to them if I have the opportunity.”
Furthermore, as for other allegations of power harassment…
[Article 100 Committee Chairman Kenichi Okutani] “Did he ever reprimand you in a strong tone of voice about the subsidy project, saying, ‘I haven’t heard anything about this’ or ‘It’s under the governor’s direct control, don’t do it on your own’?”
Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture: “I don’t remember.I don’t remember pointing out anything, but I also received various lectures, so I don’t remember each and every one of them.As a top governor, there are some things that I am disappointed about, so I wonder if it is reasonable that I haven’t received a report.”
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■ The punishment of the former head of the Prefectural People’s Bureau was “appropriate.It is frustrating and painful that I wrote the document.”
Furthermore, questions were also asked about the punishment of the former director of the Prefectural People’s Bureau, who had made the accusation…
[LDP member Tsuyoshi Nagaoka] “Do you think the three-month suspension of the former head of the Prefectural Citizens Bureau was inappropriate?”
Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture: ‘I think it was appropriate.I recognised that it contained many things that were not true and were highly slanderous, so the punishment was appropriate.”
He then went on to describe his feelings at the time about his statement that the text of the former head of the Prefectural People’s Bureau, who had made the accusation, was a ‘lie’.
Governor Motohiko Saito of Hyogo Prefecture: “Originally, I knew him (the former Prefectural People’s Bureau Chief) from when I was in Miyagi Prefecture, and we used to drink together.It was really frustrating and painful to wonder why someone who was a colleague and worked together with him would write such a document, and that is why I made such an expression (‘false eighty-five’).”
Governor Saito, while occasionally apologising, repeated his previous assertions about the power harassment allegations and the disciplinary action against the staff.
The witness examination, which began at 3pm, ended at around 5.30pm.
(Kansai Television, ‘news runner’, broadcast 30 August 2024)
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At 3pm on 30 August, the Hundred Articles Committee held its first witness hearing with the Governor.
In response to the pursuit of his own allegations of power harassment, he flatly denied them.
Approved questioning of Governor Saito, which finally began: ‘I have no recollection of it’ and a full denial of the power harassment allegations.
The witness examination of Governor Saito by the Article 100 Committee began at 3pm.
Governor Motohiko Saito of Hyogo Prefecture: “I swear to tell the truth according to my conscience and to conceal nothing and to add nothing.”
He began to pursue allegations of power harassment against staff and other matters.
Kenichi Okutani, chairperson of the Article 100 Committee, asked: “Isn’t this an excessive demand on the staff?”
Governor Motohiko Saito of Hyogo Prefecture: “As I recognised at the time, it was a reasonable point of view and recognition.”
[Kenichi Okutani, Chairman of the Hundred Articles Committee] “Did you reprimand them in a harsh tone, saying things like ‘Don’t do it on your own’ or ‘I didn’t hear you’?”
Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture: “I don’t remember.
He denied all allegations of power harassment.
In response to the numerous allegations of power harassment revealed in the survey, “I want to reflect and apologise”.
The incident began in March this year when the former director of Hyogo Prefecture’s Nishi-Harima Prefectural People’s Bureau accused Governor Saito of alleged power harassment.
The governor, Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture (March 2012): “The act of making and distributing a sentence, including a lie or two, during working hours is unbecoming of a public official.”
However, some of the allegations were later found to be true, including that the governor was made to walk 20 metres from his official car to the entrance of the Prefectural Museum of Archaeology, which he visited on official business, and that he severely reprimanded the staff.
An Article 100 committee was set up by the prefectural assembly to investigate the truth of the accusations, and the former director of the Prefectural People’s Bureau was scheduled to attend as a witness, but he died in July this year.
The Hyakujo Committee conducted a questionnaire survey of all prefectural employees, approximately 10 000 people.
According to the interim report, approximately 40% of prefectural employees responded that they “directly or indirectly know” about the governor’s power harassment.
Some of the testimonies include.
‘When he gets angry, he starts banging on the desk.’
‘In his official car, the governor became furious and kicked the front seat.’
‘He was so severely abusive that he asked me if I could even press the elevator button.
Governor Saito made a series of such allegations on the witness stand today…
[Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture] ‘I want to reflect on the fact that I was harsh and strong in my language, and I want to apologise to the staff for making them feel uncomfortable, and if there is anyone like that, I would like to apologise to them.’
■”I did not pay attention to the fact that he was made to walk 20 metres and reprimanded”
Questions continued to be asked by the chairperson and members of various groups about the power harassment allegations.
[Kenichi Okutani, chairperson of the 100-metre committee] “What did the governor say to the staff member about being made to get out of his official car and walk 20 metres in front of him, and about yelling at him?”
Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture: “I told them why they did not remove the car stop and whether they had not forgotten to do so.”
Kenichi Okutani, Chairman of the Hundred Articles Committee: “What was the volume and extent of your voice?”
Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture: “It was just before the meeting started, so I told them in a loud voice, partly because it was outside.”
Kenichi Okutani, Chairperson of the Hundred Articles Committee: “Why did you speak louder?”
Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture: “Two officials were waiting just before the roadblock, so I thought the car would naturally go there, but it suddenly stopped, so I asked, ‘What happened?I said, ‘There is a car stop.I strongly felt that if they were waiting over there, maybe they had forgotten to remove the car stop, so I strongly felt that they had not secured the car’s line of flow.So I pointed it out and cautioned him’, ‘I didn’t caution him about being walked over, I cautioned him about the fact that he should have kept the flow line clear for the cars’.
On the other hand, the head of the Higashi-Harima Prefectural People’s Bureau, who is said to have actually been reprimanded by the governor, said in a witness interview held today that he did not think it was within the socially accepted bounds of necessity, and when asked about this.
[LDP member Takao Fujita] “Some testified that it is beyond the scope of guidance in terms of socially accepted norms.Do you feel sorry for them?”
Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture: “Based on my perception at the time, I think the caution that I should secure the line of flow better was unavoidable, but if I gave a loud and strict warning and that made the staff members uncomfortable or felt that way, I would like to reflect on that and apologise to them if I have the opportunity.”
Furthermore, as for other allegations of power harassment…
[Article 100 Committee Chairman Kenichi Okutani] “Did he ever reprimand you in a strong tone of voice about the subsidy project, saying, ‘I haven’t heard anything about this’ or ‘It’s under the governor’s direct control, don’t do it on your own’?”
Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture: “I don’t remember.I don’t remember pointing out anything, but I also received various lectures, so I don’t remember each and every one of them.As a top governor, there are some things that I am disappointed about, so I wonder if it is reasonable that I haven’t received a report.”
■ The punishment of the former head of the Prefectural People’s Bureau was “appropriate.It is frustrating and painful that I wrote the document.”
Furthermore, questions were also asked about the punishment of the former director of the Prefectural People’s Bureau, who had made the accusation…
[LDP member Tsuyoshi Nagaoka] “Do you think the three-month suspension of the former head of the Prefectural Citizens Bureau was inappropriate?”
Governor Motohiko Saito, Hyogo Prefecture: ‘I think it was appropriate.I recognised that it contained many things that were not true and were highly slanderous, so the punishment was appropriate.”
He then went on to describe his feelings at the time about his statement that the text of the former head of the Prefectural People’s Bureau, who had made the accusation, was a ‘lie’.
Governor Motohiko Saito of Hyogo Prefecture: “Originally, I knew him (the former Prefectural People’s Bureau Chief) from when I was in Miyagi Prefecture, and we used to drink together.It was really frustrating and painful to wonder why someone who was a colleague and worked together with him would write such a document, and that is why I made such an expression (‘false eighty-five’).”
Governor Saito, while occasionally apologising, repeated his previous assertions about the power harassment allegations and the disciplinary action against the staff.
The witness examination, which began at 3pm, ended at around 5.30pm.
(Kansai Television, ‘news runner’, broadcast 30 August 2024)