Saito Motohiko, who won Hyogo’s gubernatorial election for the first time in July, was inaugurated as the 53rd governor of Hyogo Prefecture on August 1.

Born in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Mr. Saito graduated from the Department of Economics at the University of Tokyo. In 2002, he started his career at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Afterward, he built up experience in various regional governments, serving as the director of the Finance Division of Osaka Prefecture, among other positions. In 2013, he was in charge of recovery support for the Great East Japan Earthquake as the director of the Finance Division of Miyagi Prefecture.

Hyogo Prefecture joined the North East Asia Regional Convention in 1993 as a founding member and contributed to the establishment of the Association of North East Asia Regional Governments in 1996. Furthermore, as the coordinator of the Subcommittee on Disaster Prevention, it has held subcommittee meetings 18 times, playing a proactive role in facilitating exchange within the association.

NEAR Secretary General Kim Ok-chae sent a congratulatory letter to Governor Saito upon his inauguration on August 2 and asked Hyogo Prefecture to show continued leadership in its effort to enhance exchange and cooperation between Northeast Asian regional governments.