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© KYODOForeign minister wants his own plane for overseas trips
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Yubaru
Our taxes pay for his flying around the world passing out more of our tax money in developmental assistance.....let him ride coach!
Luddite
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.
Jeff Huffman
Who does he think he is, a member of the Trump administration?
puregaijin
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.
Yubaru
That picture reminds me of my long dead grandfather, after he took his teeth out at night before bedtime!
Mizuame
Japan needs to harness everything it can to compete with China diplomatically.
Gorramcowboy
@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.
Wallace Fred
Let them eat cake.
Cricky
It's not cake we have to eat?
Dango bong
this guy is a goofball
clamenza
Oh really? He wouldn't "mind" a $67 million private jet? How humble of the little scumbag...
Cricky
I find the train inconvenient can I request a helicopter, must ask my boss.
maybeperhapsyes
I like Kono but he just dropped 10 points in my book for this little gem.
ThePBot
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.
BertieWooster
Good idea. Probably cheaper than paying for his first class tickets!
JeffLee
What's wrong with Scoot, Peach or Vanilla?
spinningplates
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?
papigiulio
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.
that person
Want a new plane? Let him buy it himself.
borscht
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?
Doyager
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!
dcog9065
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
Cricky
Might be the 3rd economy in the world but the most debt burdened, saving not spending should be the priority.
Pukey2
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.
Kobe White Bar Owner
and this guy will lead the LDP one day.... business class at best.
Goodlucktoyou
he is Nippon Kaigi so let him have anything he wants.
and major company bosses.
goldorak
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).
Why can't ministers use this plane when Abe's at home?
Wakarimasen
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.
Goodlucktoyou
@goldorak. Abe has set the Japans record for the most international travel for a PM. his two planes are always busy.
GW
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!
kwatt
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.
Tom Webb
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.
Tokyo-Engr
@Tom - the most logical post on this topic. Makes sense
Disillusioned
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!
Mike Wyckoff
Wow, what's up with everyone's comments being down-voted?
Something fishy going on here.
Aly Rustom
Agree 100%.
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.
Matt Hartwell
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.
BertieWooster
That Person,
Good idea! On his salary, he can easily afford it.
Jimizo
Ask the US military to flog him an Osprey.
simon g
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!
zurcronium
Solution is to fly with the Chinese Minister. In about 20 years this will happen anyway.
itsonlyrocknroll
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.....
Para Sitius
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.
MikeH
Comment of the day!
smithinjapan
Sorry, Popeye, but the government is spending enough as it is.
kurisupisu
How damaging to the environment!
Doesn't Kono use email or Line???