Finance Ministry admits disposing of documents to hide land sale talks with school

In Japan they say that if you find one gokiburi (cockroach), there are another 30 still undiscovered. There is more, much more than this incident.

"Disposed" documents as they were "Regrettable" indicating truthful facts that the whole deal was/is exposing the utter corruption that is Japan. But no paper so no facts...Mr Aso is the chief financial officer and Deputy PM where is he? Or his cluelessness absolves him....not a good look? The PM is obviously involved or the ministry's actions to protect him are one off. I highly doubt the actions were taken without explicit instructions to do so. It is Japan can't change the toilet roll without a consensus after a meeting to comply with the boss.

The Osaka District Court on Wednesday decided to allow the couple out on bail, accepting a request from their lawyer, after rejecting a previous request in November, the lawyer said.Their respective bail of 8 million yen and 7 million yen has not been paid yet.

So, if the judge agreed to let out, and their bail hasn't been paid, is it safe to assume they are still in jail?

This case is not going away, and the longer it lingers, the harder it becomes for Abe.

Nothing is going to happen, as usual.

well, one guy will take the fall but the hierarchy will remain intact.

Are these people still in jail? That's a year with no trail? This whole thing stinks. A suicide, doctored documents, destroyed documents denile. And we are presented with a strait face claiming Abe did no wrong...vile

Kagoike and his wife Junko, 61, were arrested by prosecutors on July 31, 2017, on unrelated charges including defrauding the central and local governments of 170 million yen in school subsidies, and have been in detention since.

Yes. They are still in jail.

Is disposing if documents relating to the sale a case of destroying and tampering with evidence? That is a federal offense where I come from and carries hefty penalties and jail terms. However, I’m quite sure these cronies will not see any jail time for their fraud. They have covered their tracks by destroying the evidence and have a long list of scapegoats ready to put their heads on the chopping block. Abe and Aso should both be in jail.

Why hasn't 77 year old Finance Minister Aso resigned? Aren't people supposed to bow and resign to take responsibility in this country? That's his ministry and all of this happened on his watch. Why aren't the media and opposition.

Why hasn't Shinzo resigned either? He lied through his teeth about Moritomo Gakuen and he lied through his teeth abouth Kake Gakuen. Japan, land of endless corruption indeed.

Kagoike and his wife Junko, 61, were arrested by prosecutors on July 31, 2017, on unrelated charges including defrauding the central and local governments of 170 million yen in school subsidies, and have been in detention since.

Muneo Suzuki, the stunningly corrupt former LDP overlord in Hokkaido, was held in solitary for a year before going to trial. Woe betide anyone who endangers the LDP grandees because they'll throw you down a big black hole.

why are the government officials who did this not in jail? Not even named? I'm not a fan of these aged couple but it does seem unfair to the extreme. The suicde of someone involved is sad. Yet the real protagonists are squeaky clean....vile.

Shouldn't this be in the crime section?

Vile is right.

Man,if this were South Korea Abe and Aso would have been behind bars ages ago.

Since this is Japan they just come out with lame excuses like "I don't remember" or "I will explain later and get the public's understanding".

it makes me laugh when people say to me that Japan is a democratic country.

there is one law for them and another for us.......doesn't seem very democratic at all.

@ Cricky. "It is Japan can't change the toilet roll without a consensus after a meeting to comply with the boss." spot on, sad but true.

This is why the tv news devoted all its time yesterday, to a college (American) football foul.... if only THIS case was put under such scrutiny, and given more airtime.

Total distraction tactics.

Head in sand. Japan the Ostrich.

This should be headline news on all papers front page.

And it should read that the PM has been caught flat out lying and all his buddies too.

Oh well, continue on as normal everyone...

The Finance Ministry admitted Wednesday that it disposed of documents to conceal negotiations with a school operator with ties to the wife of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe before giving it a steep discount in a state property sale.

Jeez- WHAT is it going to take to have Abe and Aso arrested?? This is just too much.

In Japan they say that if you find one gokiburi (cockroach), there are another 30 still undiscovered.

A perfect way to describe the LDP in general and Abe and Aso in particular.

Man,if this were South Korea Abe and Aso would have been behind bars ages ago.

Absolutely.

it makes me laugh when people say to me that Japan is a democratic country.

Same here. At this point its just a cliche'- kind of like saying that foreigners have big noses or Japanese are short. Anyone who really believes this country is a democracy needs their head examined. How can you call it a democracy when the overwhelming majority of politicians inherited their positions like a family business?? (which really in Japan's case is what it is now)

there is one law for them and another for us.......doesn't seem very democratic at all.

You're right. It isn't.

It is Japan can't change the toilet roll without a consensus after a meeting to comply with the boss." spot on, sad but true.

Sad but So VERY true.

Good god man, cover up, doctors papers, Abe and Aso both need to be booted ASAP.

Japan has many islands. Send these people to the most far one

I wonder where the usual rebuttals from Abe fans are - "... best prime minister for years... only man for the job... when will the opposition quit their moaning... foreigners should shut up because they're foreigners... economy... let the SDF protect Japan... who cares, it's only a minor issue... etc... etc"

There is no proof. I thought all the PM Abe bashers were finished with this game. Far more important things for PM to do than answer to critics, like prepare for Summits.

Agree with the general consensus here, there is nothing to add really. Heads need to roll.

On another note

The ministry, which recovered some of the documents from officials who had personally kept copies, on Wednesday released over 900 pages of records from between 2013 and 2016.

I saw these stacks of paper printed out on their desks this morning on the news. 15+ stacks of 900 papers? Nice job guys, someone introduce an ipad there, way too much waste. Also, 900 paper document, did they print one letter a page?

@Ganbare Japan! : And doctor papers as they just admitted. The word you are looking for is fraud, which is illegal.

So would this be the solid proof that Abe's wife was involved in it, which he said would 100% not be the case and he would resign if such proof came out?

Goodlucktoyou,

Japan has many islands. Send these people to the most far one

If you mean Okinawa, no! Please don't send them here. The Senkakus would be a good place. They might keep the lighthouse and open up Nihon Kaigi affiliated nursery schools there.

Ganbare Japan - no proof of what? Could you make it clear what point you are making?

So... arrests will be imminent, right..?

.....................

@cucashopboy

There is no proof PM Abe had any knowledge. People in the ministry acted alone to change documents, there was no orders from top

Thank you, Ganbare Japan. So the people were in the ministry were doing all that sensitive work on their own initiative without any orders or oversight. I assume they were also aware that doctoring documents is illegal - it all seems rather unlikely in a highly bureaucatic country where people tend to be risk averse.

Ladies and gents, japanese-style 'democracy'

It's very hard to take Japan seriously when developments like this emphasize that nothing changes and no one is ever responsible

Abe is desperate to still be by PM in 2020 when the Olympics in Tokyo are held and he can receive the media fawning adulation. That, and also do his level best to revise the constitution and take Japan back to 1930 so that Grandpa Kishi in Tengoku will be happy. Disgusting man.

And to think that Abe introduced 'moral education' into the school curriculum

The irony of ironies.

Will this be on the a big enough story to cover? I think there is more dead horse to beat over a dirty American football hit...

It is very "unfortunate" that many of the Government employees are "cockroaches"! And many of the "elected people" are also "cockroaches"!