I am not going to question this supposed letter or statement. Mostly because it is hearsay from a person I don’t know delivered by a person about whom I have serious suspicions about.
I will say this though, a State Official, in a position of authority in the Department of Health, making a statement has a great deal more weight or credibility to it than your “interviewer”.
The information that Butter got came from an actual official, in a position of authority in an email that is public record, and subject to FOIA requests.
This letter from your friend may or may not be true, it may or may not have been a legitimate and accurate source. We don’t know that. All we have is your word, and frankly that doesn’t go far with me.
Any LAWYER would put more weight on Okubo and Fukino’s statements than your letters from friends, by necessity.