Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi denied allegations that her staff created and spread defamatory videos targeting political opponents during an election campaign.

The controversy centers on whether the Prime Minister's office used covert tactics to attack rivals, raising questions about government ethics and the truthfulness of official testimonies provided to the Diet.

During a press conference following her return to Japan on June 18 [1], Takaichi addressed claims that her first official secretary had ties to an entrepreneur involved in producing the videos. Rep. Saku-yo Uchikoshi of the Constitutional Democratic Party questioned if the secretary's previous testimony—stating there was no acquaintance with the man—was false.

"Regarding this man, I have been reported that the secretary has no clear memory and has never met him directly, and therefore recognizes that they are not acquainted," Takaichi said [1].

Opposition members have challenged this narrative. While Takaichi denied the allegations of involvement, reports from Yahoo! News indicate the Prime Minister reviewed audio recordings of interactions between the secretary and the video creator, though she said it was difficult to determine if the voice belonged to the secretary [3].

Other political figures have called for more aggressive action. Yukio Edano of the Constitutional Democratic Party said on June 3 [3] that for a proper investigation to occur, the Prime Minister would first have to be removed from office. Additionally, Representative Ogawa of the Center for Reform Union said that the secretary should be summoned as a witness to testify under oath [3].

Takaichi has maintained that no additional legal procedures are necessary, citing the secretary's lack of memory regarding the individual in question [1]. The dispute is expected to continue as the Senate Committee on Health, Labour and Welfare is scheduled to further examine the matter on June 28 [2].

“"Regarding this man, I have been reported that the secretary has no clear memory... and therefore recognizes that they are not acquainted,"”

This conflict highlights a deepening rift between the Takaichi administration and opposition parties over transparency. If evidence emerges that the Prime Minister's office knowingly provided false testimony to the Diet, it could trigger a constitutional crisis or lead to formal no-confidence motions, as the integrity of official government reports is a cornerstone of Japanese parliamentary procedure.