Hyogo Gov. Referred to Prosecutors over Baseball Parade

   Kobe, June 13 (Jiji Press)--Police in Hyogo Prefecture on Friday sent papers on Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito and former Vice Governor Yasutaka Katayama to prosecutors for an alleged breach of trust related to a victory parade for local professional baseball teams, according to investigative sources.
   The Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office is expected to carefully decide whether to indict them.
   Last year, a civic group filed a criminal complaint against Saito and Katayama, claiming that they sought donations for the victory parade in return for an increase in subsidies for financial institutions in November 2023. The group argued that the subsidy increase was unnecessary and caused losses for the prefectural government.
   Speaking to reporters in the Hyogo city of Toyooka, Saito reiterated that he was handling the matter while abiding by the law, and added that he will fully cooperate with the investigation.
   Katayama issued a statement through a lawyer, saying that police raised no issues after he explained that there was no link between the victory parade and the subsidy increase.

(2025/06/13-18:16)

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