The public secretary to Prime Minister 高市早苗 submitted a written statement to the Diet denying involvement in creating defamatory videos against other candidates [1].
The submission addresses allegations that the prime minister's office commissioned and disseminated content to damage rivals during the Liberal Democratic Party leadership and lower-house election campaigns. This development follows intense scrutiny over whether the administration used illicit tactics to influence electoral outcomes.
The statement was presented to the House of Councillors Budget Committee on July 6, 2026 [1]. In the document, the secretary denies any role in the production or commissioning of the videos in question [1].
Prime Minister 高市早苗 said the submission of the written statement was not intended to avoid answering parliamentary questions [2]. She said she intends to respond to inquiries regarding the matter [3].
To provide further clarity, the prime minister said that the secretary's statement and a proposal from the involved company would be submitted to the National Diet shortly [4]. The move aims to resolve contradictions between the government's position and the allegations of misconduct.
The controversy centers on the use of digital media to sway voters through negative campaigning. By filing a formal statement, the prime minister's office seeks to create a legal record of the secretary's denial to counter claims of official misconduct.
“The prime minister’s secretary submitted a written statement to the Diet denying any involvement in creating or commissioning defamatory videos.”
The use of a written statement (陳述書) allows the prime minister's office to establish a formal denial on the record while potentially limiting the immediate volatility of live parliamentary questioning. However, the commitment to provide the external company's proposal suggests that the Diet will move toward an evidence-based review of the procurement process for these videos, shifting the focus from political rhetoric to documentary evidence.
