TOKYO - The head of an IT firm has said that he created videos criticizing rivals of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in last year's ruling Liberal Democratic Party presidential race, after being asked by one of her aides to help her win the election.
Ken Matsui, 33, told Kyodo News in a recent online interview that he was consulted by a secretary of Takaichi on how to "reverse" the lead of Shinjiro Koizumi, then a strong contender to win the LDP presidential election in October.
"I proposed that negative videos would be effective," he said.
Matsui was asked about his thoughts during an online meeting on Sept. 25 to discuss social media strategy during the LDP election campaign. The meeting included the secretary who was introduced to him by an acquaintance.
Takaichi won the LDP election on Oct. 4 and became the country's first female prime minister later that month. She appointed Koizumi as defense minister.
Speaking in parliament in May, Takaichi denied reports saying her camp spread videos online via anonymous accounts to smear opponents. "I have been told that my office and campaign team did not in any way disseminate negative information about other candidates or create and distribute such videos," she said.
The reports, which first appeared in the weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun in late April, claimed that Takaichi's publicly funded first secretary and others made and posted videos criticizing politicians including Koizumi, in which he was called "incapable" and a "puppet of hereditary politics."
In a written response to Kyodo News, Takaichi's office denied such allegations and said it has no plans to re-investigate the claims.
Matsui, who was also the developer of Sanae Token, a meme coin named after the prime minister, said the videos not only targeted Koizumi but another leadership rival, then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi who was emerging as another leading contender.
Hayashi is now the internal affairs and communications minister in Takaichi's Cabinet.
Matsui said he used some original generative artificial intelligence software to create 1,000 to 1,500 short videos on Koizumi and Hayashi. Around 300 social media accounts were then created on which the videos were shared.
He added he instructed the AI not to use expressions that would be slanderous and produced the content free of charge. He also said he does not think his actions violated the law.
Takaichi's use of social media was regarded as a strong factor in her victory in the party race as well as the LDP's landslide lower house election victory in February this year.
It has previously been revealed that the Koizumi camp had also asked campaign staff to make posts smearing rivals during the LDP leadership race.
