Gov't to launch probe into murky virus relief deal linked to Dentsu

Panels, commitees , round tables, auditors, investigations and probes until this passes out of the public eye

Ineptitude, incompetence and a complete failure to provide help for people that need it...

"Nothing to see here, folks. Just go about your business. Never mind those brown envelopes." - Corporate Japan + J-Gov't

I hate to say this, but I think the reason that more Japanese are not up in arms about this is that they would gladly be one of those on the receiving end of these payments. Isn't that why there are all these support groups for politicians? All in the hope of some way making it onto the governments gravy train.

Gvt to investigate itself.Interesting.

The government would save itself a heap of trouble if Dentsu just dropped the ludicrous facade of being a "private company," since everyone in Japan knows that it's the marketing/advertising arm of the LDP. Dentsu could then revert to its old name of The Ministry of Propaganda, for total clarity of its role in Japanese society.

No surprise to see Pasona in there, Pasona being the Dentsu of haken gaisha in Japan. These companies are nothing more than bottomless pits of sleaze, corruption and lust for money.

Wow, a 2 billion hand-shake right there. This council is scamming every tax-payer in Japan.

This should be a short investigation.

Abe - Did you give Dentsu preferential treatment and billions of yen?

Abe - No.

Abe - Okay. Sorry to inconvenience you.

Ineptitude, incompetence and a complete failure to provide help for people that need it...

Incompetence? No, they knew exactly what they were doing by transferring this tax-money basically to themselves...

The public basically opened the door for it with the fearful reaction (that still continues) to COVID-19.

I'm still being amazed how the subcontracting chains work in Japan. There's a loooong number of companies getting paid for doing basically nothing but taking some questionable decisions (usually to the detriment of the project) and waaay down at the bottom some poor workers getting paid almost nothing working 24/7.

Which btw is a great example why there are so many exorbitantly expensive IT projects where the results are laughable.

This.. this is just incredible, yet completely normal here -

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and... contracted a group.... to implement the program for 76.9 billion yen, only for the group to subcontract the task to the advertising agency for 74.9 billion yen

And the 'advertising agency' will sub-sub contract ... how do we apply for some of this state-aid? Oh, you need to be a member of a certain select group.

The Government is launching a probe into its own shady dealings. How convincing :D

Corruption or public funds misuse, call it like you want, is politicians sports.

And Japanese continue to vote for their Guru.

Many first world countries in same situation nowadays.

"no possibility" that improper gains were being made.

I laughed when I read that. Of we believe you.

Jonathan,

Many first world countries in same situation nowadays

Some countries, the people will take to the streets, some there will be an outcry and prosecutors will step in an investigate and some people thrown in jail.

How about an independent body doing the investigation instead of the totally corrupt government?

Invalid CSRF - When is this bug going to get fixed?

People become cynical. People begin to believe in conspiracies. People disbelieve in governments and leaders. I wonder.

probe ?

What a modern day misnomer.

Stick the hot poker up their asses and then ask the questions... now, that's what I call a Probe!

Fortunately, the simplicity of those within the times of "Black Adder" is no longer with us... though we appear to be rather less effective too.

This time, things like this will not get away.

Invalid CSRF - When is this bug going to get fixed?

Bertie, what is the problem you are seeing? I know a lot of other posters experience this. Are you getting an error message in your browser? If so, at what point (e.g. when logging in, or when submitting a comment). I don't have this problem. (Have you tried clearing your browser's cookies?)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, however, denied that there was anything shady about the arrangement, saying in parliament there was "no possibility" that improper gains were being made.

Of course not - it's perfectly proper for arrangements to be made that the LDP and their associates profit from. Japan does, after all, exist for their benefit. The apple really hasn't fallen far from the tree with Abe.

Some of my business continued even during the pandemic, thank goodness!

The incompetence of the system in Japan that allows massive graft has to stop!

If as AgentX says , it has been planned then that would be a most damning indictment of the Japanese sustem....

system

The use of subcontractors in many sectors is endemic in Japan, and the prime contracting firms add a hefty markup. Kind of like a pyramid scheme, since then the subcontractors further push down work (after their cut) to sub-subcontractors. A lot of gaiahikei companies are in this as well, so can’t just fault the domestic players.