Japan PM Sanae Takahashi accused of defamation‑video scheme, denies personal links

Allegations have emerged that Prime Minister Sanae Takahashi’s election campaign hired an external firm to produce defamatory videos against rival candidates. Weekly Bunshun released audio of an online meeting between the prime minister’s chief secretary and the video maker, suggesting coordination.

In a hearing before the House of Representatives Legal Committee, Takahashi said she only learned of the project during a group online conference introduced by a trusted source and asserted that she and her staff had no "familiarity" with the creators. Economist Hidetomo Tanaka and commentator Yoichi Takahashi weighed in on the meaning of "familiarity," arguing that it usually requires a face‑to‑face meeting and exchange of business cards.

The coverage of the issue by NHK has been sharply criticised. NHK repeatedly aired only Takahashi’s denial without reporting Bunshun’s evidence, prompting former NHK staff and journalists to label the broadcasts as government‑propaganda and a breach of impartial reporting standards.