Police arrested NHK Party leader Tachibana Takashi on November 9 on suspicion of defamation.

In December last year, he made problematic remarks in a stump speech.

Tachibana Takashi (58)NHK Party leader(Voice reenacted)

'He disappeared without saying anything. Assembly member Takeuchi is super dangerous. He’s most probably being investigated by police.'

Tachibana was referring to Takeuchi Hideaki, a former member of the Hyogo prefectural assembly.

Takeuchi was a member of the assembly’s special committee investigating Hyogo Governor Saito Motohiko over power harassment and other allegations.

Takeuchi Hideaki' So you threw the sticky notes. Was it because you were angry?'

Saito Motohiko,Hyogo Governor 'I couldn’t help but throw it in front.'

After investigating the governor, Takeuchi became a target of slander on social media.

He resigned as assembly member in November last year and passed away two months later.

His family found him unresponsive at home, and he is thought to have taken his own life.

Tachibana is suspected of repeatedly making false remarks about Takeuchi and damaging his reputation.

Posted in January 2025 /From YouTube : 

Tachibana Takashi,NHK Party leader

'As far as I’m aware, I don’t have any recollection of having criticized or defamed Takeuchi-san until his passing on January 18.'

' I pray for Takeuchi-san’s soul. That’s all. We’ll destroy NHK! '
 

Tachibana is suspected of making slanderous remarks before and after Takeuchi’s death.

This was his post on social media after Takeuchi’s death. 

Tachibana Takashi (58),NHK Party leader(Voice reenacted)

'Former prefectural assembly member Takeuchi was being voluntarily questioned by Hyogo prefectural police continuously from about September last year.'
'It appears he was scheduled to be arrested tomorrow.'
 

In January, the chief of the Hyogo prefectural police chief had denied this .

Murai Toshiyuki,Hyogo prefectural police chief 'We have never conducted any voluntary questioning of former assembly member Takeuchi as a suspect.Moreover, there has never been any talk of arresting him. These claims are completely baseless, and we deeply regret that such clear falsehoods are being spread on social media.'

The police completely denied Tachibana’s claims.
 

We asked him about this.

Tachibana Takashi, NHK Party leader
'As the Hyogo prefectural police chief completely denied at the prefectural assembly that there had been any arrest, any plan to arrest or any voluntary questioning, I would like to apologize for having posted information on the internet that was contrary to the facts.I am truly sorry.'

Tachibana admitted that his remarks were untrue and apologized.

Q   What kind of reporting did you conduct?

Tachibana Takashi,NHK Party leader

'I received information from someone well-informed about current events and confirmed it with another person, who is also knowledgeable about prefectural assembly members. I heard that while there was no arrest, there was questioning, so I felt fairly confident about it.'

■TIME LINE

Nov. 18, 2024　Takeuchi steps down as prefectural assembly member

Dec. 13-14, 2024　Tachibana suspected of defaming Takeuchi in speech

Jan. 18, 2025　Takeuchi passes away

Jan. 19-20, 2025　Tachibana suspected of defaming Takeuchi on social media and in speech

June 2025　Widow of Takeuchi files criminal complaints

Nov. 9, 2025　Tachibana is arrested

Tachibana explained that his series of remarks turned out to be not factual.

Then in June this year, the widow of Takeuchi filed criminal complaints on six counts against Tachibana.

The widow had this to say.

Widow of Takeuchi 'I am the one who knows that my husband worked hard as an assembly member, so I have to raise my voice on his behalf.'

In August 2025,  Tachibana Takashi,the NHK Party leader had said: 
'I will not run or hide from the things I myself said.To the wife of assembly member Takeuchi, I thank you from my heart for filing complaints against me. Thank you. I think it’s better to make things clear.'

Shortly after 3:40 a.m. on November 9, the police arrested Tachibana at a parking lot in Osaka Prefecture.

The police said he is cooperating with their questioning.

At about 5 p.m., the widow of former assembly member Takeuchi held an online press conference.

Widow of Takeuchi says ' After news of the arrest came out, I reported it at my husband’s altar.Since filing the criminal complaints, I had worries and anxieties about what might happen, but now I feel relieved.Crushed by the shock of my husband’s death and fearful of baseless slander, I had no strength to fight back and didn’t know what to do.That was when a senior from my university days encouraged me, saying ‘Let’s avenge Hideaki.’ Thanks to that, I found the will to file the complaints.I would like to express my gratitude to the many people who supported us and to all those involved in the investigation. Thank you. From now on, I will watch over the investigation.'
 

We asked the Hyogo governor, who Takeuchi was pursuing, what he thinks.

Saito Motohiko, Hyogo Governor
' Investigations will be proceeding on this case, so I would like to refrain from commenting.I would like to continue carrying out proper public awareness efforts, emphasizing the importance of using social media appropriately and refraining as much as possible from posting information that could lead to slander or defamation.' 

We asked a lawyer how he feels about a political party leader’s arrest over defamation.

Kamei Masaki,Lawyer and former prosecutor
'Defamation cases are generally handled without taking the suspect into custody.I think the fact that he was detained reflects the seriousness and maliciousness of the case including factors involving the impact of social media and societal influence.'

In 2023, Tachibana was convicted for crimes including forcible obstruction of Japanese public broadcaster NHK’s operations.

The fact that Tachibana was arrested during the period of his suspended sentence could affect his fate in the latest case.

Kamei Masaki,Lawyer and former prosecutor 'It’s not very common to have two suspended sentences. There is a high possibility of a prison sentence.The statutory penalty is imprisonment for up to three years. For him, I get the feeling it might be a little over a year or up to two years.' 
 

The police are building cases against Tachibana on all six counts.