Japanese PM Koike Faces Scrutiny Over 'Smear Campaign' Amid Revised Statements

(Central News Agency, Tokyo, 13th - comprehensive foreign report) Japan's 'Shukan Bunshun' revealed that Prime Minister Koike Hayami's camp released videos defaming other candidates during last year's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election. Koike denied commissioning the production of these videos, but recently revised her statements regarding her secretary, prompting opposition parties to pursue accountability.

Japan's 'Yomiuri Shimbun' and Fuji News Network (FNN) reported on the 12th that the controversy originated from 'Shukan Bunshun's' online edition, which on April 29 disclosed that Koike's secretary had discussed on social media the dissemination of defamatory videos targeting other candidates with a man allegedly responsible for producing the videos.

On May 8, during a plenary session of the House of Councillors, Koike stated, 'I have never released any negative information or produced related videos.' She further claimed on May 11 during the House of Councillors Budget Committee session, 'Neither I nor my secretary know (the man accused of producing the videos).' However, on May 19, she revised her statement to 'I and my secretary have never met (the individual),' and on June 8 clarified, 'We have not met in person, exchanged business cards, or learned his affiliation or name.'

'Yomiuri Shimbun' pointed out that the contact between Koike's secretary and the video producer is the focal point of the controversy.

Matsui Ken, CEO of an IT company, recently gave an online interview to Kyodo News, stating that during the October LDP presidential election last year, he used generative artificial intelligence (AI) to produce videos criticizing current Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba as 'like a puppet,' with the aim of securing Koike's victory, and posted these videos on social media.

Matsui said he received consultation from Koike's secretary asking, 'What should we do to reverse Koyama's (advantage)?' Following this, Matsui proposed 'releasing negative information.'

He also stated that he was introduced to the prime minister's secretary through a mutual contact and held an online meeting on September 25 during the leadership election to discuss social media strategy. It was decided during the meeting that they needed to overturn Koyama's lead and suppress the rising momentum of current Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Yoshimasa Hayashi, leading to the production of videos criticizing both figures.

He said he used self-developed generative AI software to produce approximately 1,000 to 1,500 short videos mentioning Shigeru Ishiba and Yoshimasa Hayashi, instructing the AI to avoid expressions that could constitute defamation. He also created around 300 X accounts to disseminate these videos and deleted the accounts after the leadership election.

On June 1, Matsui provided detailed explanations of the video production process accompanied by his lawyer. Kyodo News also obtained text messages between him and the secretary and confirmed that the phone number used indeed belonged to the secretary.

In the LDP leadership election, Koike and Koyama advanced to the second round, with Koike ultimately winning.

Regarding another weekly magazine's report claiming that Koike's office admitted to holding the related online meeting, Koike denied it during the House of Councillors Budget Committee on June 5, stating, 'My secretary said this is not true.' However, on June 10 during the House of Representatives Judicial Committee session, she revised her statement, saying, 'The response on April 3 cited by Shukan Modern was indeed from Koike's office, so I am correcting this part.'

Koike's revised statements have led the Constitutional Democratic Party and the Centrist Reform Union (referred to as 'Centrist') to demand that her secretary appear before the Diet to explain. Although Koike denies her personal or office involvement in the production of defamatory videos, Centrist leader Ogawa Junya criticized yesterday, 'The situation has escalated to a point that could threaten the prime minister's suitability and credibility.'

'Yomiuri Shimbun' pointed out that as countermeasures against election-related defamation, 'disinformation' (deliberately spreading false or misleading information), and 'misinformation' are becoming critical issues, this incident may directly relate to Koike's 'qualifications' as prime minister. (Translation: Yang Weijing) 1150613