Minister admits dining with NTT Docomo execs but denies ethics code violation

But he said the dinner "was not a violation of the ethics code because I did not receive any specific request or demand from the participants.

As the Minister in charge of the department specific to these executives business interests, this outlook - if honestly his opinion - is naive beyond belief.

I have no apprehension to be wined and dined or given brown envelopes. My door is always open. I would gladly accept even a 6-pack of beer. How these guys get these opportunities?

If the food and drink combined were worth more than ¥20, then he needs to go.

HBJ is right. So if someone gives him a new car, but he didn't ask for it, that's ok?

When I worked for the govt, we couldn't accept anything worth over $20 and were expected to keep an even payee/payer cost ratio if we ate together multiple times. It is called ethics. There is a law about this in the US.

@theFu, Wow a entire ¥20 yen for a meal! What is he going to buy for such an amount? Yet this is not the USA and their laws do not apply to Japan.

less than an hour, drank two or three glasses of beer without eating, and paid 10,000 yen

That makes 3333JPY for a glass of beer. If he stayed less than an hour, I'd doubt it was like a one litre Maßkrug times 3. So either that was some fine beer for 3333JPY a glass, or he's bullhitting us. Either way, expensive beer or bullhitting us is not really good excuse if you think about it

If he was drunk at the time, all is forgiven.

He never inhaled.

YuriOtaniMar. 19  09:53 am JST

@theFu, Wow a entire ¥20 yen for a meal! What is he going to buy for such an amount?

What do you think is a reasonable amount then?

Yet this is not the USA and their laws do not apply to Japan.

Why aren't there similar rules here?