The Hyogo Prefectural Assembly unanimously passed a motion of no confidence against embattled Gov. Motohiko Saito on Thursday evening — an extremely rare move that forces the governor accused of workplace bullying to either step down or dissolve the assembly within 10 days.
There have been only four instances in Japan’s postwar history in which a no-confidence motion against a sitting governor cleared a prefectural assembly. None of the four governors chose to dissolve the assembly.
The motion, jointly submitted by all assembly members, stressed that the governor bears significant moral and political responsibilities in bringing stagnation to prefectural governance, and that he lacks the qualities of a leader.
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