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The suspicion that the eldest son of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has served an executive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has been revealed as true.
Another bad news broke out in the Suga cabinet, which was shaken by the issue of late-night dinners for passport personnel during the emergencies issued in the controversy over the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) insolvency.
Earlier, Japan’s weekly magazine Shukanbun-shun reported that Mr. Seigo, the eldest son of Prime Minister Suga, had hosted General Affairs Deliberation Officer Yasuhiro Tanawaki, Mabito Yoshida General Affairs Officer (international officer), Yoshinori Akimoto, head of the information distribution administration, and four of his men. In 2006, when Prime Minister Suga was appointed as general secretary in the first Abe cabinet, Mr. Seiko was appointed secretary for general affairs for about 9 months.In 2008, he joined Tohoku Shrine and is currently the head of hobby and entertainment in the media division. On duty Tohoku Shinsha has satellite broadcasting channels such as star channels, Go and Janggi channels, and these channels are operated under license from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
Shukanbun-shun reported that the eldest son of Prime Minister Suga, who works for a satellite broadcasting company, is suspicious of violating the National Public Officials Ethics Act by hosting an executive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications with a license right. Director Akimoto, one of the executives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications raised suspicion of hospitality, admitted that he had a dinner with Prime Minister Suga’s eldest son at the House Budget Committee on the 4th, Kyodo News reported. Director Akimoto, who is involved in the licensing of satellite broadcasting, explained that after acknowledging that he was provided with dinner and transportation expenses at the time, he returned the money after knowing that an official of a company related to the jurisdiction had participated. He did not respond because he was investigating whether it corresponds to entertainment from’stakeholders’ that are prohibited by the ethics regulations of state officials.
Shukanbun-shun reported the details of the incident through the latest magazine released that day, and released photos at the time of reception. It was a photograph of Prime Minister Suga’s eldest son giving a gift and taxi ticket to General Affairs Officer Yoshida. It is said that the eldest son of Prime Minister Suga attended each of the four entertainments from October to December last year, and the executives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications who attended were different. On October 7, entertainment was held at a high-end restaurant in Tokyo that cost over 40,000 yen per person (about 425,000 won). Mr. Seiko said that from the time he joined Tohoku Shinsha, he has served as a counter for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications related to star channels specializing in movies.
Star Channel received approval for the BS (satellite) digital broadcasting consignment service from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in December 2005, when Prime Minister Suga was the vice president of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Afterwards, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications approved the Go and Shogi channels operated by Tohoku Shinsha related to satellite basic broadcasting business in 2012, and in 2017 approved Tohoku Shinsha Media Service, a subsidiary of Tohoku Shinsha related to high-definition 4K broadcasting, as a satellite basic broadcasting business. Tohoku Shinsha’s broadcasting business has grown dramatically with the approval of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Shukanbun-shun said.
Takashi Nishio, a special professor at International Christian University, who is familiar with the National Public Officials Ethics Law, said, “If a public official has a drinking party with a stakeholder and eats it, the prohibited acts specified in Article 3, Paragraph 6 of the National Public Officials Ethics Regulations based on the National Public Officials Ethics Law. It corresponds to’receiving entertainment and hospitality’,” he pointed out.
Prime Minister Suga announced that he called the eldest son at the House Budget Committee that day, saying, “If the investigation begins, cooperate.” He also said, “I want the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to check the facts and respond according to the rules so that there is no doubt by the public.”
/ Reporter Kim Yeon-ha [email protected]
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