June 8, 2017

The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly on June 7 at its plenary session decided to charge former Vice Governor Hamauzu Takeo of perjury committed at investigative hearings on the issue of relocating the Tokyo wholesale fish and fresh market.

The Japanese Communist Party, the Komei Party, a Democratic Party-affiliated political group, Governor Koike’s local political party “Tomin First no Kai”, and another local party “Seikatsusha Network of Tokyo” voted for a motion to bring Hamauzu to trial for his perjured testimony while the Liberal Democratic Party and the “Ishin no Kai” voted against the motion.

Hamauzu and one other ex-Tokyo executive official allegedly forswore themselves at hearings of the special taskforce, the Article 100 Committee, in investigating the issue related to the transfer of Tokyo’s central market from Tsukiji to a former Tokyo Gas plant site in Toyosu where various toxic substances have been detected.

In support of the motion, JCP Assemblyperson Ozaki Ayako pointed out that materials presented to the Article 100 Committee shed light on the fact that the former vice governor had made false statements.

Criticizing the LDP for defending the perjurer, the JCP representative stated, “The LDP which keeps denying the allegation will inevitably face severe criticism from Tokyo citizens.”

Past related article:
> Ex- Tokyo vice governor to be accused of giving false testimony over Toyosu scandal [June 1, 2017]