Scandal surrounding Hyogo governor could cause further trouble for Nippon Ishin

Troubles continue to mount for Nippon Ishin no Kai as the governor of Hyogo Prefecture faces increasing pressure to resign over an abuse of power scandal, and he is due to give a sworn statement on Friday.

Earlier, the Nippon Ishin-backed mayor of Minoh in neighboring Osaka prefecture lost his re-election bid on Sunday – the latest in a series of political setbacks that raise questions about whether the center-right opposition party's base in Kansai province will be further weakened and what that would mean for a national election.

Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito, elected in 2021 as an independent but with the backing of Nippon Ishin, is facing allegations of abuse of power and other forms of misconduct. Saito, who is scheduled to testify on Friday before a prefectural assembly committee tasked with investigating the allegations, is quickly losing the support of his Nippon Ishin allies.