Opposition demands resignation of elite female bureaucrat over scandal

If she doesn't resign, she should be dumped. Her attitude (Medieval, to say the least) is now published worldwide, and makes a further disgrace of Japan's attitude towards women. The b**ch wouldn't survive a day in my house.

Wait a minute? Japanese govt officials can demand things? I thought all they could do was ask, urge, or recommend??

The government has also scrambled to keep her as a symbol of women's empowerment.

Well this bureaucrat is instead a symbol of cronyism, so who gives a hoot about the gender.

These sorts of people should have no power over our taxes.

What about the rest of the males that went???

Japan: $274,000 (£206,495)

Members of Parliament in Japan reportedly earn up to $274,000 (£206,495). Its politicians are often closely scrutinised because of their high pay and there have been recent allegations of corruption. According to the OECD, the average wage in Japan is $40,863 (£30,878), so MPs are paid over six times more than the citizens they represent.

At max 2.5 percent of her yearly pay. Hardly a deterrent.

Back in the days in NY 7 grand would be snubbed.

Envious? That’s not expensive, in contrary, it’s extremely cheap in all those circles. You don’t even get many champagne bottles or a champagne tower in a reasonable club for that amount. 70,000 yen for dinner is there like if you and me buy an instant ramen at the cheapest discounter and even use their water kettle to make it hot for sparing water and energy at own home....lol

A 70,000 yen dinner??!! That's a lot of curry!

I think the real scandal here is that 60% of a civil servant's monthly salary is 705,000 yen, meaning she makes about 1,180,000 yen a month. Waste tax payers' money much?

And remember that is before her two bonuses as well!

Cabinet Public Relations Secretary Makiko Yamada, 60 has to step down and resign.

This LDP government must refrain and desist from cynical pollicization/weaponizing women's empowerment as a mean to hid duplicity/deflect responsibility.

An independent commission with legislative authority is needed to investigate these serious violations of the ethics code.

Yamada said Thursday she may have discussed the broadcasting industry in general with the Tohokushinsha officials, but they did not ask her for any favors. "I did not make sufficient checks about whether (the Tohokushinsha officials) were stakeholders. That was slack of me," Yamada told parliament.

 Please, what a load of old clobbers, so this expansive wine and dine was nothing more than friendly get together to chew the cud and then exchange knitting patterns. 

Seigo Suga needs to be brought in front of this commission and grilled under oath.

It all sinks to high heaven.

borschtToday  08:46 am JST

Returning 60% of her monthly salary‽ How will she ever manage to survive for the month on only ¥400,000?

As a woman who "woman who never declines invitations to drinking parties", I expect her food and rinks are already paid for.

@bearandrodent, what are you talking about? They were the ones who were being treated by others. Is basically big corporations trying to spend their money on officials to get them to favor them for future projects. What does it even have to do with tax money? You are confuse

I think the real scandal here is that 60% of a civil servant's monthly salary is 705,000 yen, meaning she makes about 1,180,000 yen a month. Waste tax payers' money much?

Returning 60% of her monthly salary‽ How will she ever manage to survive for the month on only ¥400,000?

The horrors these poor politicians have to live through. First others in this bribery scandal have been reprimanded and now Yamada's being forced to live practically below the poverty line.

Yamada apologized in parliament but said she will not resign over the scandal. The government has also scrambled to keep her as a symbol of women's empowerment

And that's the kind of role model for younger aspiring female politicans?

What they are actually saying is

"Look women. We can also can be as corrupt and unethical as the men"

Government employees and elected officials are so out of touch with the general population. Living off our taxes and spending it like it’s their own pocket money.

I want to improve myself...

No she wants to continue touching her salary for many more months, while just having returned a few hundreds of thousands of yens.

The word ethics means corruption for Japanese politicians.