Hyogo Governor Referred to Prosecutors over Alleged Vote Buying

   Kobe, June 20 (Jiji Press)--Police referred Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito to prosecutors Friday on suspicion of vote buying over his alleged payments to a public relations company for campaign activities in the western Japan prefecture's gubernatorial election last November, people familiar with the investigation said.
   The prefectural police sent papers on Saito, 47, to prosecutors after a criminal complaint was filed last December over the governor's alleged payments that violate the public offices election law. The police also sent papers on the 33-year-old president of the PR firm.
   Saito has also been referred to prosecutors for an alleged breach of trust related to a victory parade for local professional baseball teams.
   The governor has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Speaking to reporters in Kobe, the capital of Hyogo, on Friday, Saito said, "There is no change in my recognition that I've acted in compliance with laws, including the public offices election law." The PR company president has not responded to requests for comments.
   Saito is suspected of paying 715,000 yen to the PR firm on Nov. 4 last year for work on his re-election campaign, which included planning a PR strategy and managing the campaign's social media presence.

(2025/06/20-17:56)

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