Not nationalist enough? Matsushima Midori L Yuko Obuchi. R
Japan's Justice Minister Midori Matsushima resigned, hours after the resignation of Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi. Ms Obuchi is alleged to have misused funds from her political support groups and other donations. Ms Matsushima had distributed paper fans carrying her image and policies at a festival in her constituency, according to government TV NHK.
This is news big scam. Every politician receives and distributes money in Japan politics. The chief of factions (reborn) distribute the money. The corporation gives money to politicians. I saw an example myself of interaction between the construction Zenekon industry paying a famous politicians from Hokkaido. I heard from many politicians that they receive tribe money. Each sector needs to pass laws and play favours to politicians who can face the enormous cost of paying back to their generous donators and to their constituencies. Politics is costly. How come incompetent people and short sighted policies not in the benefit of people are perpetuated? This is why in my morning subway survey: I could see and hear that Japanese society remains totally apathetic to Nagatacho's scandals, politics and Shinzo Abe's #whatevernomics.
In Japan, women remain targets of ”親父” dirty tricks & money politics. This being said, the Obuchi money case is typical of local politics, each other mingling in a cosy sticky relationship, with favours to return. But the most infamous case is Midori Matsushima who stepped down "over her alleged violation of the election law by distributing paper fans to constituents, which could count as a donation banned under the law." Every politicians in Japan offers gifts, pins, fans, T-Shirts, Mugs, Food stuffed with banknotes... Every politician in Japan is paid by a lobby. Remember cases of politicians who left LDP and cried to come back and had to pay huge "fine" to return? Remember the LDP Jun chan Lion PR policy or Minshuto Hatoyama - Noda gifts offered prior to elections?
The thing here is not about the fundamental of Japanese money politics. There are negligences but the Obuchi Matsushima case is about a society where women are said "no" to top jobs by the Oyajis. It is a blow to the international image of Japan. Obuchi was seen as the first female prime minister to come. Her father was a prime minister and was not an easy rider, he had determination and proved it on Japan US military disagreements, he died. Maybe Ozawa knows a lot about it?
One thing is that these 2 are female politicians and are much less "nationalist" compared to the other women of Abe's cabinet and LDP top jobs. I give you an example: I emceed Matsushima at the press club recently, in Tokyo, September 26th 2014. I asked her at the end of the event if she would go to pray to the Yasukuni shrine for the Autumn festival and Matsushima (who worked 15 years as an Asahi journalist) answered to my question: "no and not as a politician and no need to be pushed by any group" for that (Nippon Kaigi or others?) Then the Sankei shimbun (in its usual hysteria) commented that the Justice minister Matsushima did not have enough respect and regards for the divinity of the Yasukuni shrine...
I reported last night on my networks partners about the beginning of an era of Shinzo Abe's politics instability.
