Former Hyogo Prefecture Official Referred to Prosecutors Over Information Leak Scandal Implicating Governor
On the 13th, the Hyogo Prefectural Police Second Investigation Division referred Inomoto Tomoaki, the former Director-General of General Affairs for Hyogo Prefecture, to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Local Public Service Act (confidentiality obligation). This issue concerns the alleged leak of private information belonging to a former prefectural bureau chief who had accused Governor Motohiko Saito, causing a significant stir within the prefectural government. Inomoto is suspected of leaking the former prefectural bureau chief's private information and audio data to multiple prefectural assembly members. A report published by the prefecture's third-party committee last May concluded that Inomoto leaked information to three prefectural assembly members. Furthermore, the report pointed out that “it is highly probable that this was done for the purpose of 'nemawashi' (informal groundwork) toward the prefectural assembly, under the instructions of Governor Motoh...