Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi submitted a written statement from her public secretary to the House of Representatives Budget Committee on June 22, 2024 [1].
The move comes as the administration faces allegations that the secretary was involved in creating defamatory videos targeting political opponents and promoting a cryptocurrency known as "Sanae Token."
In the statement, the secretary denied any involvement in the creation of the videos and the cryptocurrency project [2]. The secretary said they never requested the creation of such videos and did not hear any useful information regarding the matter [3].
These allegations surfaced following reports of an online meeting in December 2023 where the "Sanae Token" was reportedly proposed [4]. The written statement was intended to clarify the facts and supplement responses to parliamentary inquiries [2].
During the proceedings, Takaichi said the secretary's statement should serve as the response to the questions [5]. This approach drew criticism from some observers who viewed it as an attempt to avoid direct testimony. However, Takaichi said the intent was not to avoid answering the questions [6].
The statement was filed during a session of the Budget Committee, overseen by Committee Chair Sakamoto [2]. The Prime Minister's office maintains that the secretary has no connection to the digital asset, or the smear campaigns mentioned in the reports.
“The secretary denied any involvement in the creation of the videos and the cryptocurrency project.”
The use of a written statement instead of live testimony by a key staff member often triggers political tension in the Japanese Diet, as it limits the ability of opposition members to conduct immediate cross-examination. By distancing the Prime Minister's office from the 'Sanae Token' and defamatory content, the administration is attempting to neutralize a scandal that could link the head of government to unregulated financial assets and digital disinformation.
