News On Japan

Former Hyogo Official Who Exposed Harassment Found Dead

HYOGO, Jul 10 (News On Japan) - A union has demanded the resignation of Hyogo Governor Saito following the death of a former senior official who distributed documents alleging workplace harassment by the governor.

Fumio Tochitori, Central Executive Committee Chairman of the Hyogo Prefectural Employees' Union, stated, "It is extremely regrettable that we could not protect the employee who made the accusations. We call for a responsible response from the governor."

On the morning of July 10th, just before 11 a.m., the union submitted a request to the prefectural government, stating, "Since the problem arose, there have been significant disruptions to workplace operations, making it impossible to restore public trust," and demanded Governor Saito's resignation.

In Hyogo, a 60-year-old former senior official who was disciplined after internally exposing harassment allegations against the governor died on the 7th.

Governor Saito has so far denied the calls for his resignation, stating, "It is my significant responsibility to thoroughly reform the prefectural administration."

Source: ANN

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Nagoya is on the verge of a major transformation. Over the next decade, the cityscape is expected to undergo a dramatic shift as large-scale redevelopment projects reshape its urban core. The focus is on three key districts—Meieki, Sakae, and Kanayama—each developing in a way that highlights its own unique strengths.

Scholars affiliated with the Science Council of Japan formed a symbolic human chain in front of the National Diet building on May 8th, calling for revisions to the government’s proposed reform bill targeting the council’s structure, as deliberations enter their final phase in the Diet.

Across Japan, road collapses have been occurring with increasing frequency, often blamed on aging infrastructure. In one recent incident in Ashioshi, Saitama Prefecture, a truck was swallowed by a gaping sinkhole.

Two men who were arrested for forcibly entering an elementary school in Tachikawa City, Tokyo, and assaulting staff members have been identified as friends of a student's mother. One of the suspects denies the charges, claiming he was only brushing people off after being restrained.

Cherry blossoms have begun to bloom in Wakkanai and Kushiro, marking the near completion of Japan's cherry blossom front for 2025.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Politics NEWS

The Japanese government’s long-anticipated pension reform plan is at risk of being significantly watered down, as the core proposal to raise the basic pension appears to have been dropped from the bill currently under deliberation in the National Diet.

China has pushed back against Japan's protest over a recent incursion by a Chinese helicopter into Japanese airspace near the Senkaku Islands, claiming instead that it was a Japanese civilian aircraft that violated Chinese airspace.

Reporters Without Borders has released its 2025 World Press Freedom Index, ranking Japan 66th out of 180 countries and regions surveyed, just behind Timor-Leste (65th) and Fiji (64th).

The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has submitted a bill to allow married couples the option of keeping separate surnames, but the initiative has little momentum in the current Diet session due to a lack of support from other parties.

Shizuoka Governor Heita Suzuki announced on April 30th that the prefecture will implement its “Cool Biz” dress code throughout the year starting in May 2025. Previously limited to the warmer months from May through October, the initiative encourages relaxed attire for government workers, such as going without neckties, to create a more comfortable working environment.

Tensions between the United States and North Korea have been intensifying behind the scenes, despite the recent spotlight on former President Donald Trump. On April 15th, two U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers participated in a joint training exercise with the South Korean Air Force over South Korean airspace.

The Japanese government held its first meeting on April 25th to address support measures for the Employment Ice Age Generation, a group that has recently become the focus of active policy discussions across political parties.

In response to a third-party committee confirming five cases of power harassment involving senior officials in Ōnojo, including the deputy mayor, the city government held a press conference on April 24th.