Amari questioned in Diet about graft allegations; says he won't resign

If the police accused me of burgling a house and making off with ¥500,000 I wonder if they would give me a week to "remember" what had happened?

Heck, he may as well stay in Abe's Cabinet. He's got good company. Let's see, there's the dude who "specializes" in stealing women's underwear, there's the guy who somehow ended up with a receipt to a live SM bar (he said he got it from a member of his staff), there are others who allegedly did wrongdoings but stayed the course.

These, my friends, are the ones who are running this country. And ... there might be more secrets lurking about in Abe's friends' closets ...

When Armani gave a speech in the Diet today, opposition members walked out of the chamber before he got started. Then after he finished, his fellow Jiminto members gave him a rousing cheer for, I guess, just braving it out ... surely not for the speech ... as if anyone actually listened to it.

Though it is not a good thing and he was careless but the money is small while he is one of the most competent minister in the government and did a good job in TPP.

Competent? He can't even take a small bribe without making himself look like a clueless imbecile.

Why did the guys who paid the 12 million decide to out Amari like this now, all of a sudden?

Amari shouldn't be heading off to Davos under these circumstances, but it speaks to the quality of the man that he is going to anyway.

Here is a thought....

Abe, your administration has been rocked with at least two scandals. These are people you over see! Strike 1... Strike 2 and I say Strike 3 YOUR OUT!!!!!!

That is right I say you are OUT!!

It is just another OLD BOYS CLUB!! Let's stress the OLD part too.

Abe is sure he will explain how this is was legal money....

Amari, no one expects you to admit you took the bribe at first!

">>It is true that the president of the company in question visited my office, but my memory is a little vague about what actually >>happened,”

The company had asked Amari’s office for help to settle a dispute with the Urban Renaissance Agency, a state-overseen >>housing development entity, over compensation issues related to a road project, according to the weekly.

Since there is no investigation, we are left with the appearance and the appearance is that he pocketed 12 million yen in order to use his current position to put pressure to resolve a dispute regarding some compensation, which might mean that we (tax payers) were probably be the one footing those compensations a the end of the road, how can you be more disgraceful of your position then doing this ?

Only in Japan would you read the accused conducting an investigation into... themselves. And subsequently deciding their own fate. Honestly The Onion-worthy material is endless.

Apparently Japan doesn't have an equivalent of the American FBI. In America and most other developed countries, no minister would be allowed to investigate himself, the very notion is absurd.

Japan needs an entirely independent police agency to investigate government and business corruption. But good luck with that ever happening.

Now Amari is telling the media he'll "explain within one week", meaning he needs time to try and get his story straight. In any case, the government is stupider than usual if they're sending this guy to talk about the economy and money policies. He'll be more of a laughing stock than the drunk guy was (who later ended up killing himself).

“It is true that the president of the company in question visited my office, but my memory is a little vague about what actually happened,” Amari said on Thursday when asked in the Diet whether he accepted cash. “I want to thoroughly investigate and explain what happened.”

Bro, you sound busy. Why don't you leave this to us?

sympathy trip to the hospital for "exhaustion" in 3,2,1......

Every moment unprincipled Economy and Fiscal Policy Minister Akira Amari remains a senior member of cabinet, an appointment personally endorsed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, responsible not only for the negotiation but also ratification of key elements to the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, displays an undisguised contempt this arrogant LDP government has for the electorate.

This ruling political elite, unfettered but any appearance of a plausible opposition continues to sink further into a cesspit of sandal and sleaze. An alleged ¥12 million 'bung' dresses up as 'donations', evidence of direct violations of political funding laws courtesy of the Akira Amari 'amnesia' effect, explains fully Abenomics missing third arrow unknown whereabouts.

How much more dishonest unethical conduct lies beneath this facade of government, who next entrusted with positions of high office will come crawling out the woodwork accused of collusion, conspiring in criminal acts of bribery or embezzlement? I cringe at the thought of this person representing the Government of Japan economic and fiscal policy at the world economic forum.

Construction = yakuza, isn't besides the guy in question going to do an investigation? Abe should investigate anyone suspected of corruption.

All the politicians are in bed with the construction companies. Glad there finally speaking up about it. I really hope Japanese people especially the younger generation start taking there country more searioysly because they will be the one with no pensions.

"I will not resign..."

Indeed, Japan has changed, no more honor it seems, they decided to never resigned. There should be zero policy tolerance for bribery for political servant, this is really a deadly cancer for the society and we shall suffer no spread of it, the amount is irrelevant.

They are all at it. It's just a matter of being smart enough to not get caught. His defence is beyond weak,

It is true that the president of the company in question visited my office, but my memory is a little vague about what actually happened

Either the money or visit must of given him minor amnesia.

@Schopenhauer. I am sure your views are widely shared by the public and voters in Japan, whether they are informed or not. And that is the trouble. These politiicians are brazen yet the public often want to give them some kind of benefit of the doubt. The same goes for the bureaucrats on the take. Yet the stories of corruption and incompetence come round thick and fast. It is such a paradox.

he is one of the most competent minister in the government and did a good job in TPP.

Good job combined with TPP is an oxymoron.

"I will not resign..."

Usually famous last words. And this is the guy going off to Europe to talk about Abenomics? hahaha... you can't make this stuff up.

SchopenhauerJAN. 22, 2016 - 08:35AM JST Though it is not a good thing and he was careless but the money is small while he is one of the most competent minister in the government and did a good job in TPP. He does not have to quit. Japan's politicians are clean on the whole and became a lot cleaner than before.

No way. You cannot be soft on politicians just because they did a good job. Doing a good job is part of the job description. If you want to stamp out the endemic corruption in Japanese politicians you must be strict. The law is you don't take money, end of.

How can he be confident that he didn't do anything wrong if his memory is "vague about what actually happened?"

Obviously this person cannot be trusted and in this kind of work environment, should be made to resign and rendorse the lost profits wasted in this mock investigation.

If this was any other hard working person in Japan you could guarantee they life would of been ruined because of this.

Though it is not a good thing and he was careless but the money is small while he is one of the most competent minister in the government and did a good job in TPP. He does not have to quit. Japan's politicians are clean on the whole and became a lot cleaner than before.

Politics and banking folks it's a big club and we aren't in it. In fact it's the same club they use to beat us on the head with to get us to stay compliant. Just keep this in mind next time elections roll around - They don't care about you. All they care about is their next bribe and/or paid lobbying gig, but they DO NOT care about you. - George Carlin

Regardless of whether it was a bribe or not, a minister who doesn't know/can't recall what's going on around him, and who cannot categorically deny with absolute conviction any accusations of corruption, has no business being a minister. He's either corrupt, or suffering from some form of dementia and not fit for office. Either way he should go.

Where did the Economic Minister learn his special kind of economics?

Ahhh, the classic: "I have no recollection". Politicians are the same the world over, no matter what language they speak.

“It is true that the president of the company in question visited my office, but my memory is a little vague about what actually happened,” Amari said on Thursday when asked in the Diet whether he accepted cash.

That's right Abe Team. Keep showing utter contempt for the public during an election year…

WTH? Who forgets 12million even if you have bucket loads? my guess is ' i was drunk" "I was stressed" I don't remember" oops that last one was already used. Trash.

He acted so humbly guilty on the news it made me cry.

Maybe we can finally get his posters which are everywhere taken down. He has more posters on walls, fences and windows in Japan that Kim does in North Korea.

NAILED! Pay it back, bow and go into hiding.

The guy is an embarrassment. One of the questions put to him by the opposition was "What is to investigate? Why don't you just deny taking the money if you didn't take it?"

The lack of denial is hard to understand, you don't forget things like being handed envelopes full of cash.

Funding scandals feature regularly in Japanese politics and led to the resignation of Abe’s economics and trade minister and his justice minister in 2014.

Who are now serving time, at least in a parallel universe where there is justice in Japan.

Amari is not only a hereditary politician with a sense of entitlement, he is also a member of the rightist Nippon Kaigi, which puts him close to Abe and part of the right-wing clique that now rules Japan.

Amari questioned in Diet about graft allegations; says he won't resign

Right, for now anyway, but Abe doesn't like it when his followers dont toe the party line in public and get caught with their hands in a cookie jar. Give him a month, maybe less, and don't let the door hit him in the arse on the way out!