Yamaguchi governor ordered to pay ¥20 mil over luxury car purchase

LDP?

@plasticmonkey

LDP?

Yeah you know me

The 20.9 million yen is said to be the second-most expensive official vehicle in Japan after one owned by the Tokushima prefectural government.

”Occasional use by Japan’s Imperial family” was also the justification used by the Tokushima government in 2019. These vehicles are mostly used, however, to shuttle the government leaders to and from home (according to an article in the Tokushima Shimbun). Tokushima’s Toyota Century totaled 21.3 million yen.

Oddly, Tokushima’s plan to purchase a Lexus in 2007 for 12 million was cancelled after public criticism.

Comparatively, Tokushima’s vice-mayor was using a Toyoda Crown that had cost 4.8 million yen in 2015.

His lawyer said that this kind of ruling recognizing the illegality of a public vehicle purchase is very uncommon in Japan.

Funny that. Now, if only all the other illegalities were recognised politicians might not regard the law as inapplicable to them.

well, they own it, so now they better enjoy it

I had no idea one of those Centuries went for that amount. Might as well buy a Testerosa. That's a hell of a lot of taxpayers' money to spend on a car - for the Emperor or not.

An expensive car, that looks like a Taxi.

It's not even luxurious. Japan has truly fallen when the standards of perceiving luxury are now low due to weak Yen.

The Century looks like an ugly version of a Cadillac. I’m not a fan of American cars so if you’re spending that much on a car, why not go for a luxury German model instead? Oh right, it’s government property so they have to go with a domestic maker.

My money !!!!!!!!!!!!

To be fair he probably also got all the extra’s. Lace headrest covers, Lace curtains, premium white driving gloves and a mixed cassette tape of the top sing along Hits of the 1930s.

Toyota Century’s are some of the ugliest “luxury sedans” out there.

Just seeing them screams, inside there’s a self protest “important rich old Japanese man.”

and you’re telling us it cost ¥20M!??

You could easily buy a half dozen Lexus’ instead.

clearly someone bought the pretentious thing and skimmed off a few from the total sum.

Interesting case for students of government. This is the local (non-elected) bureaucracy and judiciary basically ganging up on the (elected) legislature, an elected mayor is part of the legislature no?, the three wings of government at each others' throats.

While the mayor was elected, this does not mean anything goes. He almost certainly wasn't elected on a platform of buying a 20M yen car.

Well now, it would be Yamaguchi ken, Abe's former home base.

20.9 million yen for a Toyota Century is a lot of money. Sounds like they got ripped off. Lol.

21 million yens "tax payers paid" for these 2 century old wheels.

So… this is what a Looters getaway van looks like…

I think the Century reminds me more a Zil, a Russian car, than a Cadillac.

Why can't he drive around in a Prius?

Prius? Really now? By comparison it's a piece of crap, not to mention that there is no way in hell anyone will fit in the back seat, front seat either, if you are over 190cm.

If the ¥20 million car lasts 10-20 years then not so expensive.

Are there Japan taller than 190 cm? Learn something everyday.