Hyogo Governor Apologizes over Harassment, Rejects Illegality Charge
Kobe, March 26 (Jiji Press)--Motohiko Saito, governor of Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, apologized to prefectural government workers Wednesday, after a third-party panel last week found that his prefecture's actions to identify a whistleblower accusing him of harassment violated the whistleblower protection law.
"I sincerely apologize for causing discomfort and burdens to staff," Saito said at the prefectural assembly.
But he later denied the illegality of the actions to identify the whistleblower in a press conference at the prefectural office in Kobe, saying that they were appropriate.
The panel said that the prefecture's actions were illegal and that the punitive dismissal given to the whistleblower was invalid. It identified 10 cases of harassment by Saito.
Saito told the press that he "takes seriously" the panel's acknowledgement of harassment, but expressed "doubts" about the panel recognizing the complaint against the governor as whistleblowing.
(2025/03/26-17:19)
To read a full story, please click here to find out how to subscribe.
NATIONAL
-
03/31 19:32 Global Experts Seek Urgent Action to Prevent Nuclear War - 03/31 19:01 ASDF's Blue Impulse Aerobatics Team to Perform for Osaka Expo
- 03/31 18:58 (Update) Japan FY 2025 Budget Enacted Just in Time
-
03/31 18:39 Half of Needy Households in Japan Unable to Buy Diapers - 03/31 18:15 Japan's 2nd Baby Hatch Opens in Tokyo
- 03/31 17:30 Comedy Duo Downtown Withdraws from Osaka Expo Ambassador Post
- 03/31 17:26 Fuji Media Committee Recognizes Sexual Assault by Nakai
- 03/31 16:46 (Update) Nikkei Tumbles to 7-Month Low amid Stagflation Fears
- 03/31 14:24 Japan Upper House Passes FY 2025 Budget
- 03/31 13:27 Forest Fire in Japan's Imabari Declared Contained
- 03/31 13:21 4,225 Food, Beverage Prices to Go Up in Japan in April
- 03/31 12:54 Diet Panel Forgoes Mon. Vote on Political Donation Bills
- 03/31 11:52 Nankai Trough Earthquake Could Kill 298,000 People in Japan: Govt
- 03/31 11:16 Japan Govt to Provide Additional Aid to Rapidus
- 03/31 09:10 Japan's Industrial Output Rises 2.5 Pct in Feb.
- 03/31 06:33 TEPCO Completes Treated Water Discharge in Fukushima for FY 2024
- 03/30 21:53 Japan, China, S. Korea Agree to Promote Free Trade
- 03/30 20:02 (Update) Cherry Blossoms Come into Full Bloom in Tokyo
- 03/30 19:50 (Update) Japan, U.S. Agree to Improve Command Control Coordination
- 03/30 18:08 (Update) Interparty Talks Sought over Corporate Donation Rules
- 03/30 17:16 (Update) Japanese Adult in Myanmar Unaccounted for after Quake
- 03/30 16:22 Japanese Adult in Myanmar Unaccounted for after Quake
- 03/30 16:03 Cherry Blossoms Come into Full Bloom in Tokyo
- 03/30 14:26 Japan, U.S. Agree to Improve Command Control Coordination
- 03/30 13:33 Alert Raised for Volcano in Southwestern Japan
- 03/30 13:01 CDP Urged to Continue Talks over Corporate Donations
- 03/30 11:06 Experts Start Talks on Proposals for NPT Review Conference
- 03/30 09:00 Son of Soldier Killed on Iwo Jima Continues Collecting Remains
- 03/30 08:00 Japan Parties Still Apart over Corporate Donation Rules
- 03/29 18:44 (Update) Ishiba Attends Japan-U.S. Joint Memorial Service on Iwo Jima
- 03/29 18:11 Osaka Expo's Japan Pavilion Completed
- 03/29 16:12 2 Japanese Injured in Myanmar Earthquake
- 03/29 15:50 Secondhand Smoke More Than Doubles Placental Abruption Risk: Study
- 03/29 14:10 Ishiba Attends Japan-U.S. Joint Memorial Service on Iwo Jima
- 03/29 13:09 Imperial Palace Street Opened to Public for Spring Season
- 03/29 13:05 Diplomatic Record Reveals Seoul's Conflict over Japanese Culture
- 03/29 11:45 Prince Hisahito to Rent Apartment Near University
- 03/28 21:51 Japan Household Electricity Bills to Go Up in April
- 03/28 21:29 Okayama Forest Fire Declared Contained
- 03/28 18:50 Imperial Household Agency to Launch Official Account on YouTube
- 03/28 16:18 LDP, CDP Agree Budget Bill Upper House Votes Mon.
- 03/28 16:16 Estimated 42,000 Bodies Unclaimed in Japan in FY 2023
- 03/28 15:16 Japan to Seek Report Disclosure before Shareholders' Meetings
- 03/28 14:01 Japan PM Ishiba to Visit Iwo Jima Sat.
- 03/28 13:45 Suicides in Japan Decrease to 2nd Lowest on Record in 2024
- 03/28 13:16 Needy Parents Eye Living Cost Cuts for Kids' New School Life
- 03/28 12:37 Tokyo Core Consumer Prices Up 2.4 Pct in March
- 03/28 10:51 Japan Advised to Boost Rice Exports to 353,000 Tons in 2030
- 03/28 09:48 Japan FTC Warns Chateraise over Subcontract Law Breaches
- 03/28 09:39 U.S. Senate Panel OKs Japan Envoy Nominee Glass
- 03/27 22:35 Japan, 8 Others Agree to Cut Saury Catch Quota by 10 Pct
- 03/27 21:45 Japan Shows Evacuation Plan for Taiwan Contingency
- 03/27 21:00 Ishiba to Visit Philippines, Vietnam to Boost Cooperation
- 03/27 19:29 Japanese Film Director Masahiro Shinoda Dies at 94
- 03/27 19:15 Ex-Japan Lawmaker Hirose Found Guilty of Fraud
- 03/27 18:42 (Update) Ishiba Not to Release Statement on 80th War Anniversary
- 03/27 17:35 Japan Emperor Bids Farewell to Brazil President
- 03/27 16:15 Ishiba Not to Release Statement on 80th War Anniversary
- 03/27 16:00 To Prevent Election Chaos, Japan Playing Cat-and-Mouse Game
- 03/27 14:35 No Fresh Budget Measures to Tackle Inflation: Japan's Ishiba
- 03/27 13:59 Tokyo's Takanawa Gateway City Area Partially Opens
- 03/27 13:51 Japan to Consider All Options over U.S. Auto Tariffs: Ishiba
- 03/27 11:30 "Ashinaga" High School Student Aid Recipients Suffer Poverty
- 03/27 10:16 Over 900 Hectares Destroyed in Ehime, Okayama Wildfires
- 03/26 23:03 (Update) Ishiba, Lula Agree on Mutual Visits
- 03/26 22:36 (Update) Japan's Kashiwara Wins Abel Prize for Mathematicians
- 03/26 21:43 Japan's Kashiwara Wins Abel Prize for Mathematicians
- 03/26 21:34 Rice Released from Japan Govt Stockpiles in Stores Soon
- 03/26 18:59 Japan Enacts Bill on Disaster Prevention Measures for Peninsulas
- 03/26 18:37 Opposition Urges LDP to Reinvestigate Ties with Moonies
- 03/26 18:36 Japan PM Ishiba to Meet Brazil Pres. Lula to Agree on Mutual Visits
- 03/26 18:25 BOJ May Raise Interest Rates to Fight High Food Prices: Ueda
- 03/26 17:47 Mars Rock Transported from Tokyo for Osaka Expo
- 03/26 17:19 Hyogo Governor Apologizes over Harassment, Rejects Illegality Charge
- 03/26 16:25 Japan to Treat 2 Palestinian Women Wounded in Gaza
- 03/26 16:21 LDP Suggests Upper House Committee Vote on Budget Bill for Fri.
- 03/26 15:49 Okinawa Battle Victims Remembered on 80th Anniv. of U.S. Landing
- 03/26 14:34 Japan Court Convicts Ex-Judge of Insider Trading
- 03/26 13:54 Japan Begins to Take Bids in 2nd Auction of Reserve Rice
- 03/26 10:54 Japan House Sao Paulo Shows Paper House for Disaster Evacuees
- 03/26 09:55 Leaders Covered Up Data Tampering at Hitachi Zosen from 2015
- 03/26 09:00 30 Pct of Major Companies Using AI for Recruiting: Jiji Survey
- 03/25 23:49 Ex-Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Official Indicted in Insider Trading Case
- 03/25 22:23 Kyoto to Raise Maximum Hotel Tax to 10,000 Yen
- 03/25 21:57 Unification Church Victims Voice Joy over Dissolution Order
- 03/25 21:50 (Update) Japan Emperor, Empress Welcome Brazilian President
- 03/25 20:24 Ishiba Reluctant to Accept Komeito-DPFP Proposal on Donations
- 03/25 19:34 Dissolution Order May Prompt Unification Church to Hide Assets: Lawyer
- 03/25 19:23 Japan Eyes 300,000-Yen Limit on Daily ATM Use for Elderly
- 03/25 18:28 U.S. Osprey Makes Emergency Landing at Central Japan Airport
- 03/25 17:53 Most Japanese High School Textbooks to Include QR Codes
- 03/25 17:20 (Update) Japanese Court Orders Dissolution of Unification Church
- 03/25 17:08 Ishiba Said Planning Strong Measures against High Prices
- 03/25 16:46 Japan, U.S. Defense Chiefs to Meet on Sun.
- 03/25 16:18 Japan Emperor, Empress Welcome Brazilian President
- 03/25 15:37 Tokyo Court Orders Dissolution of Unification Church
- 03/25 15:21 Japan Designates Ofunato Fire as Localized Severe Disaster
- 03/25 15:19 Another Court Finds Same-Sex Marriage Denial Unconstitutional
- 03/25 14:46 BOJ Policymaker Sought to Raise Rates Gradually: Minutes
- 03/25 14:15 Child Abuse in Japan Hits Record 226,000 Cases in FY 2023
- 03/25 13:25 Hakamata Gets 217 M. Yen in Compensation after Acquittal
- 03/25 12:02 Chinese Ships Leave after 92 Hours in Japan Waters off Senkakus
- 03/25 11:49 Osaka Police Arrest Japanese Linked to Fraud Group in Myanmar
- 03/25 10:24 BOJ Tankan Seen Showing Slight Fall in Manufacturers' Sentiment
- 03/25 09:42 Japan 2024 Scallop Exports to Vietnam Jump 13-Fold
- 03/25 09:22 Shared Meals Lead to Greater Happiness: Survey
- 03/24 23:48 (Update) FSA Slaps 4 Major Nonlife Insurers with Biz Improvement Orders
- 03/24 22:43 Japan's Watanabe Stresses Significance of His IOC Presidency Bid
- 03/24 22:27 FSA Slaps 4 Major Nonlife Insurers with Biz Improvement Orders
- 03/24 21:30 Beijing Rejects Tokyo's Protest over Statement on Ishiba's Remark
- 03/24 21:17 NPB Teams Fine 16 Players for Using Online Casinos
