In the case of the 77-year-old village council chairman of Chōsei Village, Chiba Prefecture, who was arrested for beating a female staff member who was driving an official car to pick up and drop off a private welcome and farewell party, interviews with the village revealed that the chairman was believed to have been drunk at the time.
Police are investigating the details.
Eiji Higashima, a 77-year-old member of the village assembly and chairman of the village assembly in Chosei Village, was arrested last month on suspicion of slightly injuring a female employee in her 20s who was driving a car in Ichinomiya-cho by hitting her from the back seat, and was sent to the public prosecutor's office on May 17.
According to Chosei Village, Chairman Higashima was driving a female staff member who had not drunk alcohol on his way home from attending a welcome and farewell party for staff held at a restaurant in Isumi City with the vice-chairperson and senior staff of the parliamentary secretariat.
The chairman is believed to have been drunk at the time, and the police are investigating the details.
Police have not confirmed the chairman's admission, saying it would hinder the investigation.
The vice-chairman, who was on board, said, "There was a lot of alcohol in it."
At 16 p.m. on the 7th, following the arrest of the chairman, Vice Chairman Kijima, who was riding in the car, held a press conference and answered questions from reporters about the circumstances.
According to the report, there were six people in the car, including the chairman, vice-chairman, and four village officials.
After the second meeting, he was on his way home in an official car driven by a female employee, and Vice Chairman Kijima, who was sitting next to the chairman, said, "There was a lot of alcohol in it."
Asked if he had seen the chairman's assault, he replied, "I noticed that the chairman made a loud voice, but I did not see the assault, and I did not understand because I did not hear the voice of 'it hurts' or 'please stop' for help."
Regarding the fact that the official car was used not for official duties but for private food and beverage transportation of council members and village staff, the vice-chair replied, "I was not aware that it was an official car, and I am not sure because it is left to the secretariat."
On top of that, he said that in the past, he had received pick-up and drop-off at places where he would eat and drink by car arranged by the secretariat, and said, "Cars are arranged by the parliamentary secretariat, so we do not designate official vehicles."
The movement of the day is
According to Changsei Village, the four staff members who participated in the welcome and farewell party left the town hall in an official car around 4 p.m.
The car was driven by the Parliamentary Secretary-General, who picked up the Speaker and Vice-Chair from their respective homes on the way, and a total of six people headed to a restaurant in Isumi City.
The first party was held for about two hours from around 4:6 p.m., and then moved to another restaurant in the city by official car, and the second party was held.
The second meeting ended around 1 p.m., and a female staff member who had not drunk alcohol drove the chairperson and vice-chairperson to their homes.
The incident happened in this car.
The sitting position in the car at the time of the incident was
According to Changsei Village, the official car that took place at the site was a wagon-type passenger car with three rows of seats, and at that time, there were six people on board, including the chairman, vice-chairman, and four village officials.
In the driver's seat was a female employee in her 3s who was the victim, and behind her was the arrested chairman.
In the passenger seat sat the director of the Parliamentary Secretariat, behind him was the vice-chairman, and in the third row of seats were two male staff members who had been invited to the farewell party.
Vice Chairman Kijima: "I didn't know it was an official car"
Official cars were used to transport private banquets called staff welcome and farewell parties.
According to Chosei Village, the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson proposed to the Parliamentary Secretariat that the welcome and farewell party be held by inviting two staff members who will be transferred this spring, and the Secretariat arranged for an official car.
At a press conference on the evening of the 2th, Vice Chairman Kishima stated, "We did not request that an official car be issued, and we did not know that the car we were riding in was an official car."
In addition, the director of the Parliamentary Secretariat told NHK, "I knew it was out of business, but I instructed the staff to arrange an official car."
Regarding the use of official vehicles, Chosei Village said, "It must not be used inappropriately, and we would like to thoroughly instruct the staff and strive to prevent recurrence."
In Changsheng Village, harsh voices "outrageous" and "disappointed"
There were harsh voices in the local Changsheng Village about the arrest of the chairman for assaulting a staff member.
A man in his 70s said, "It's outrageous that I shouldn't be doing it.
A woman in her 60s said, "I am disappointed because I thought he was a person who served as a council member for a long time and the villagers trusted him."
Regarding the private use of official cars by lawmakers and staff, a man in his 70s said, "I feel that I have done this before, and I lose trust in the town hall and parliament."