politics

Tokyo Gov Inose to forego salary for one year

30 Comments

Tokyo Governor Naoki Inose says he will forego his salary for one year to atone for trouble he caused after it came to light that he received a 50 million yen loan from the scandal-hit medical group Tokushukai before his election last December.

Inose, 67, announced his decision at a news conference late Monday after being questioned for four hours by the general affairs committee of the Tokyo metropolitan assembly.

Inose reiterated that he received the loan for personal reasons and that he did not have to report it because it did not constitute election campaign funds. Under the Japanese election law, campaign treasurers must report all income, such as donations, related to electioneering.

Inose said that he was offered the money by the Tokudas, the family running the powerful medical group Tokushukai, although Japanese media have reported that it was Inose himself who reached out to the Tokuda family and asked for 100 million yen before the election.

Takeshi Tokuda, a lower house member, relayed Inose's request to his father and the founder of the medical group, Torao Tokuda, who then provided 50 million yen without collateral or interest, NHK said.

Prosecutors have investigated the Tokushukai group, which runs dozens of major hospitals throughout the nation, over an allegation of illegal electioneering practice, including providing money to campaign workers, at the time the younger Tokuda ran for the lower house.

Inose admitted to receiving the money, which he said he had paid back, after the investigation surfaced in September.

He said he was only able to return the money after the investigation because he had been busy running Tokyo's bid to host the 2020 Olympics, and because he had to attend to his wife, who was hospitalised.

Inose has declined to say what the loan was for.

© Japan Today/AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

30 Comments
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Despite the Tokuda families's dodgy political dealings, their hospitals do good work in remote places which otherwise would have no hospitals at all. It's unfortunate that they got into politics. It seems to taint everything and everyone.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Saw him on the tv last night, sweating like hell when he was being questioned. Trying to be funny he quickly got scolded at by the interviewer, fantastic. Douchebag. 50 million yen loan, another scandal, upon another scandal. Who is next?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Ishiharas little protege. Accepting a pay cut would have been more realistic. Forgoing your salary is just like saying I dont need the money

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Odd that they don't list his annual salary amount. He is in public office, isn't it publicly disclosed? I'm guessing it's a lot less than 50 million yen.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Why is he still on post?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Odd that they don't list his annual salary amount. He is in public office, isn't it publicly disclosed?

I've had a look around the Internet and it's given variously as 134man to 159man per month, plus bonuses (undisclosed) plus expenses.

Inose has declined to say what the loan was for.

I've seen him on telly saying that he accepted the loan because he was 'anxious about his livelihood'. People who need loans of 5000 man to support their livelihood can't afford to go forfeiting a year's salary. People who move huge sums of money around in cash as Up To No Good. Inose is fooling no one (except perhaps oldman 13).

4 ( +5 / -1 )

why doesn't he just resign?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Criminals get to sentence their own punishments now? Ridiculous. Kick this guy out of office and send him straight to jail. He's been corrupt, fraudulent and untruthful. What more do you need?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Corrupt political practice, Japanese leaders at their best. Would be nice to see him lose at least a years pay due to incarceration. But he said sorry so that's punishment enough.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Why don't any of them get fired?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

So, here is the second scum bag weasel apology from a Japanese politician for the day. How about you donate it to a children's fund scum bag?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Just shows that he has received enough money that has not been discovered that he can afford to forego his salary. He should be forced to step down.

2 ( +4 / -3 )

Japanese politicians wouldn't know the act of charity, donation...community if it hit them like Chuo Line while they were standing on the first-car platform spot. Inose doesn't need the money, he's mobbed up with Bakayaro Shintaro and his corpses-cronies. They have cash, hand over fist, in safe deposit boxes all over Japan,

2 ( +2 / -0 )

One whole year? Oh no, he'll starve to death!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

At least some Japanese politicians have a sense of honor.

A sense of honour, maybe. Actual honour, no.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The reason that he will not lose his post is because the entire political class has sold itself to the likes of Tokuda and others. I don't doubt that Inose and his friends know of skeletons hiding in the closets of other politicians, and these would no doubt be revealed if the punishment were too harsh. The one-year suspension is a slap on the wrist by the powers-that-be for getting caught, not for having actually committed an offense. Inose surely has other money from similar sources which will keep him in hair dye and botox for the next year.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

This place is all (fake) smiles but damn, what a corrupt country this is. Politicians taking bribes? No problem. Elections deemed unconstitutional? No problem. Business as usual. Well, the locals must be happy with gow things are run because nothing ever changes.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I'll gladly give up my year's salary for a hundred million yen sweetheart loan.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

There was a very decent and caring man (Utsunomiya-san) running against Inose in the last election and the people, as so often, went with the nasty guy who they somehow think will be a stronger politician. The end result is corruption. I would like to think the voters might learn from this, but then they also reelected Abe and the LDP after all the scandals and failings of that bunch. Is it too harsh to say they got who they deserve? The problem is, we don't all deserve these louses.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Why has this man not been arrested??

1 ( +2 / -1 )

He is not telling what kind of private reason. I wondered why noted big mouth Inose would not say. He wanted to keep secret because he did not want his family learn his wife has cancer? the money he borrowed but he keep secret why he needed could be for his wife's cancer surgery? When he does not behave like he used to be, it is mysterious. Are there any medical facilities that give free cancer surgery and after care in Japan? Mayor pay check is not much way less than junior executives of Japan Inc.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Why ahs this guy been arrested and charged with accepting bribes? Why is he still Gov of Tokyo? Why are the people of Tokyo quiet? Why, why, why???

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Apathy is the name of the game

0 ( +2 / -2 )

warispeace,

I don't think that's especially harsh. Very low voter turnout in Japan and the ones that do show up are geezers. They deserve what they get, fo sho...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

So he is de facto admitting he is guilty as sin but won't step down. Japan's Rob Ford minus the crack.

-1 ( +3 / -5 )

He is not telling what kind of private reason. I wondered why noted big mouth Inose would not say. He wanted to keep secret because he did not want his family learn his wife has cancer? the money he borrowed but he keep secret why he needed could be for his wife's cancer surgery? When he does not behave like he used to be, it is mysterious. Are there any medical facilities that give free cancer surgery and after care in Japan? Mayor pay check is not much way less than junior executives of Japan Inc.

The money was not a loan, it was a gift. This is why there were no terms for repayment, and no interest, and also why the money was delivered in cash, and not by bank transfer. It only became a "loan" after he was caught. The so-called documents he brought to the hearing were hand-written documents with no seals, and no verifiable dates.

Business as usual in politics, except that most are never caught.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Ha ha, over even better, to survivors of the Philippines typhoon, or the long neglected disaster victims in Fukushima.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Good for him.

At least some Japanese politicians have a sense of honor.

-12 ( +3 / -15 )

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