Foreign minister wants his own plane for overseas trips

How damaging to the environment!

Doesn't Kono use email or Line???

Sorry, Popeye, but the government is spending enough as it is.

@Yubaru... reminds me of ...

Comment of the day!

I'm seeing a lot of down voting but not one of those voters seem to be speaking up as to why this guy should be getting a private jet.

There is one factor politicians the world over have in common, the proficiency to find every conceivable excuse to justify spending 'other peoples' hard earned tax money.  

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono needs to consider smart solutions that mix the costs of 'diplomacy' with the realisation that there is an ever growing list of revenue priorities, social health care for the elderly, pre-school education, and child day care/pension provision etc. etc. all needing extra funding .  

So this is particularly ill judged and totally inappropriate for Japanese Foreign Minister Taro to be asking Santa Abe to tow out a Gulfstream Aerospace Corp's G650ER to place under his Christmas tree. 

I wish Taro Kono would remove that irritating smirk.....

Solution is to fly with the Chinese Minister. In about 20 years this will happen anyway.

Anyone named after a potato that gets elected and a good government job deserves a private jet. What's wrong with a Honda jet? Range too short? Just make another official visit. Duh!

Ask the US military to flog him an Osprey.

That Person,

Want a new plane? Let him buy it himself.

Good idea! On his salary, he can easily afford it.

What's wrong with Scoot, Peach or Vanilla?

Doesn't Scoot force you to go through Singapore on every trip? Might be different departing Japan, but departing Australia, you have a stopover in Singapore every time which is why I never fly Scoot anymore.

I like Kono but he just dropped 10 points in my book for this little gem.

Agree 100%.

he is Nippon Kaigi so let him have anything he wants.

Mate, I don't think so. I was a bit shocked at your statement so I looked it up. He's not listed on there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_members_of_Nippon_Kaigi#K

However, it is possible he is a new member or that the list deliberately excluded him for whatever reason. Do you have any info on that? Just curious.

Wow, what's up with everyone's comments being down-voted?

Something fishy going on here.

Kono said that since early 2013, he and his predecessor Fumio Kishida have made only about a third of the number of overseas trips that Chinese counterpart Wang Yi has made during the same period.

So, this is the grounds for his request? Just because the Chinese foreign minister made more trips overseas than he did? You have to be pooping me! A resounding, "So bloody what!" to that! Put this joker on JetStar and make him bring his own food!

@Tom - the most logical post on this topic. Makes sense

Maybe the senior government officials should travel on JASDF transport planes. At least the pilots and crew will receive training and acquaint themselves with foreign airports and fields.

He wants his own airplane, eventually other ministers may say same thing. I wonder where to park their own airplanes if they had. Prime minister (and Emperor) have two official 747 airplanes parking at the Air SDF base in Hokkaido. It seems there are no room for them.

Idiot, trying to keep up with the Chinese LOL!!

Keep flying commercial & IF there is a genuine need you can CHARTER a plane, it isn't that hard

My plane, what a piece of work. If you just want to increase Japans debt let me give you my bank account details, at least Japan would get some benefit, I would also as well, win-win, TOP THAT!

@goldorak. Abe has set the Japans record for the most international travel for a PM. his two planes are always busy.

Hmmmmm....  I wonder whether the appearance of him (or any other Japanese politician oyaji) does much for Japan's prestige on the international stage.  What does work is the flood of money Japan sends to other countries for pretty much any spurious reason.

Well, the Foreign Minister of Australia has a private plane so I'd say this is a reasonable request. Paying for 1st class tickets with a large entourage he surely brings probably costs the same TBH

I think it's a government aircraft rather than a private/foreign minister 'only' plane tbh. Perso I have no problem with ministers (all) using a govt owned aircraft when it's justified and for biz only (quite a few of JB's trips are footy related...must be a bishop thing).

At present, the foreign minister and his staff travel on commercial flights, while the prime minister and members of the imperial family use government aircraft for overseas trips.

Why can't ministers use this plane when Abe's at home?

this guy is a goofball

he is Nippon Kaigi so let him have anything he wants.

The Japanese Air Force One and Japanese Air Force Two are the two Boeing 747 aircraft used by the government of Japan for overseas travel by the Emperor, Prime Minister and other high-ranking officials.

and major company bosses.

and this guy will lead the LDP one day.... business class at best.

yubaru:

That picture reminds me of my long dead grandfather, after he took his teeth out at night before bedtime!

I was thinking of Mitch McConnell or Donald 'God Blesh the Uniched Shtatesh' Trump.

Might be the 3rd economy in the world but the most debt burdened, saving not spending should be the priority.

Well, the Foreign Minister of Australia has a private plane so I'd say this is a reasonable request. Paying for 1st class tickets with a large entourage he surely brings probably costs the same TBH

Cost of a dedicated plane would be nothing compared to one successful visit that he might miss due to logistics inefficiencies. He is Foreign Minister of the third largest economy of the world, not a joke! People opposing his demand are just penny wise pound foolish!

Is a military transport plane complete with no heater, no comfy seats, louder than bejaysus, and transporting the billions in Japanese-made machinery the countries who are ‘given” billions in aid by Abe out of the question?

Want a new plane? Let him buy it himself.

At first I was like 'what a waste of our taxes!'

But then I realized BertieWooster is right. Get him a bare bones 'diplomatic jet' for government use, that can be shared with other ministers when overseas duties are required.

That has to be more cost effective than the 1st class tickets our taxes are wasted on in the long run?

Huh? I don't understand that logic. It's not just buying the airplane what do you think the upkeep will cost? To be honest, they should just be satisfied with business-class.

At first I was like 'what a waste of our taxes!'

But then I realized BertieWooster is right. Get him a bare bones 'diplomatic jet' for government use, that can be shared with other ministers when overseas duties are required.

That has to be more cost effective than the 1st class tickets our taxes are wasted on in the long run?

What's wrong with Scoot, Peach or Vanilla?

Good idea. Probably cheaper than paying for his first class tickets!

Maybe he should ask his government if they could lend people in other countries billions upon billions of dollars worth of investment with no string attached. The maybe he can compete with his Chinese counterpart.

I like Kono but he just dropped 10 points in my book for this little gem.

I find the train inconvenient can I request a helicopter, must ask my boss.

He said he would not mind a small or used aircraft, and suggested Gulfstream Aerospace Corp's G650ER due to its long range without needing to refuel despite its small passenger capacity.

Oh really? He wouldn't "mind" a $67 million private jet? How humble of the little scumbag...

this guy is a goofball

It's not cake we have to eat?

Let them eat cake.

@Yubaru lol I was thinking he was rocking a Popeye look there. What a mug!

And no, he doesn't need a dedicated plane. Ministers before have done just fine with flying commercial.

Japan needs to harness everything it can to compete with China diplomatically.

That picture reminds me of my long dead grandfather, after he took his teeth out at night before bedtime!

It’d be genuinely understandable if he had to visit a few countries daily. But he hasn’t. So he’s basically just being a baby.

Who does he think he is, a member of the Trump administration?

He's having a laugh.

Foreign Ministers in other countries manage on commercial flights. He's just looking for a jolly at tax payers expense.

Our taxes pay for his flying around the world passing out more of our tax money in developmental assistance.....let him ride coach!