Election in Japan
The 2024 Hyōgo gubernatorial election took place on 17 November 2024 to elect the governor of Hyōgo, Japan. Incumbent Motohiko Saitō was re-elected for a second term.
Background.
In March 2024, a former employee of the Hyōgo prefectural government sent a letter to several media outlets and politicians in which he accused Governor Motohiko Saitō of perpetrating acts of workplace bullying and engaging in corrupt practices. Saitō had access to the document and initiated an investigation in April, which concluded with disciplinary action against the employee and a three-month suspension. The rationale provided for these actions was that the letter in question constituted defamation. In June, the prefectural assembly resolved to constitute an independent committee to investigate the matter further, given their perception that the prefectural government had not been impartial. On 8 July, the prefectural police found the employee dead and ruled it as a suicide. After increasing and fruitless calls for Saitō to step down, in September 2024, the Hyōgo Prefectural Assembly unanimously adopted a no-confidence motion to urge Governor Saitō to resign, as he did not resign nor dissolve the assembly after the motion he was automatically removed from office. On 30 September, the prefectural assembly scheduled the gubernatorial election for 17 November. Saitō declared his intention to seek re-election in order to start a fresh mandate without the approval of Ishin, which decided to endorse Takayuki Shimizu, a former member of the House of Councillors as a candidate, nor the LDP, which decided to let the party members vote and support the candidate of their choice with some party branches supporting Shimizu and others Saitō. During that time, the former mayor of Amagasaki announced her intention to stand for election as governor, and received the endorsement of the Constitutional Democratic Party, the Democratic Party for the People and a branch of the Liberal Democratic Party. The Japanese Communist Party resolved to endorse Yoshikiyo Osawa. Meanwhile, Komeito instructed their members to vote freely. Takashi Tachibana, the leader of NHK Party, also announced his intention to take part in the race and claimed that accusations against the former governor were baseless.
Campaign.
The power harassment scandal has been at the centre of public speeches in this election. Former governor Saitō defended his policies during his last mandate and asserted that the revolution he had initiated remained unfinished. Kazumi Inamura stated that the prefecture had been shaken by the power harassment scandal and that Hyōgo was in urgent need of a leader who was suited to the role. During her campaign, her role as the former mayor of Amagasaki was emphasised. Shimizu stated that he was disheartened by the fact that Hyōgo was in the news for a tragic reason and he vowed to establish his beloved prefecture as a model of effective governance, beginning with the restoration of the institutions and the enhancement of administrative transparency. Osawa discussed the normalisation of the prefectural administration and highlighted his background as a medical professional.
The election would be held under first-past-the-post voting.
References.
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