The governor of Hyogo Prefecture, Motohiko Saito, faced calls for his resignation following the death of a prefectural official who had accused him of misconduct. The official, a former head of a regional branch within the prefectural government, had alleged that the governor had accepted gifts from local companies and engaged in power harassment beyond acceptable limits. This sparked a chain of events that led to an internal investigation determining the accusations to be false, resulting in the official's suspension.

In response to the pressure for him to step down, Governor Saito stood his ground, emphasizing his commitment to rebuilding the prefectural administration and fulfilling his responsibilities. Despite acknowledging the seriousness of the official's death, Saito expressed his determination to restore public trust and address the issues within the prefectural government. The prefectural employee union, which had submitted a complaint demanding the governor's resignation, criticized the lack of protection for the official who had come forward with the allegations and highlighted concerns about the administration's credibility and ability to regain public trust.