Hyogo Governor Not Indicted over Info Leak Case

Kobe, March 27 (Jiji Press)–Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office on Friday decided not to indict Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito and two others in connection with the leaking of the private information of a whistleblower who died in July 2024. The other two individuals are Yasutaka Katayama, former vice governor of the western Japan prefecture, and Chiaki Inomoto, former head of the prefectural government’s general affairs department. Regarding the decision not to indict the three, the prosecutors cited insufficient suspicion for Saito and Katayama, and a suspension of prosecution for Inomoto. In June last year, Hiroshi Kamiwaki, professor at Kobe Gakuin University, filed a criminal complaint over alleged violations of the confidentiality duty under the local public service law. Kamiwaki alleged that Inomoto in April 2024 leaked private information stored in a computer of the late whistleblower, a former senior prefectural government official who wrote and distributed a document alleging harassment by Saito, to three prefectural assembly members. He also claimed that Saito ordered the information leak and Katayama then gave his approval. A third-party panel of the prefectural government suggested in its report that it was highly likely that Inomoto had leaked the information after receiving instructions to do so from Saito and Katayama. Saito, however, has denied any involvement. Kamiwaki said in a statement that he could not accept Friday’s decision. He said that he will consider bringing the matter before a prosecution inquest panel. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]