2024-03-29 21:00:00
Takashi Fukaya, top advisor to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, worries about the current situation of the Liberal Democratic Party with a harsh look on his face at Kaminarimon, Taito Ward, March 26th.
“Expel the slush funder.” While the Liberal Democratic Party is in turmoil over the factional party’s slush fund scandal, there is an alumnus politician who continues to openly criticize his junior members on his blog. He is Takashi Fukaya (88), who has served as Minister of International Trade and Industry and chairman of the party’s general affairs committee, and currently serves as the chief advisor of the party’s Tokyo Metropolitan Federation. Former Policy Research Council Chairman Koichi Hagiuda (Chairman of the Tokyo Metropolitan Federation), who was one of the so-called “Five” executives of the Abe faction, and former Secretary-General Hirofumi Shimomura, former Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, were elected to Tokyo, and Mr. Fukaya is in the same pot. It’s a big senior who ate it.
I visited Mr. Fukaya at his home in Asakusa and interviewed him about the issues of “politics and money” that are undermining the Liberal Democratic Party. Mr. Fukaya appeared in a stylish kimono and was interviewed for an hour and a half. His topics also ranged from April’s Tokyo 15th Ward by-election to the House of Representatives, July’s Tokyo gubernatorial election, and memories of brothers Shintaro and Yujiro Ishihara. (Yusuke Sato, Mikio Miyao)
◆Abe faction official’s defense: “‘I don’t know’ is a lie”
-What do you think of the slush money scandal?
“I can’t help but feel deeply disgusted and angry.When I was involved in political activities, I had never heard of kickbacks (of proceeds from political party sales).”
“My first impression was that this was quite stingy for a member of the Diet. He promised to sell party tickets worth 5 million yen (for his quota), sold 6 million yen, and then received 1 million yen. If you’re thinking of doing something stingy like taking it yourself, you should just open it yourself from the beginning.In my case, I’d host a party with a membership fee of 20,000 yen, and from that I’d get 10 million yen or something like that. I put him in the Yamazaki faction (where he served as an advisor).I thought that the recent members of the Diet were doing a lot of random things and doing boring things.”
– The Committee on Political Ethics held in both houses of the House of Councilors examined Abe faction leaders who have been receiving kickbacks from their factions for many years.
“I was watching the Political Ethics Inquiry the other day, and it doesn’t make any sense. You can refuse to attend, and there’s no perjury on your answers. If you say, “I don’t know, I don’t understand,” it will pass. I was listening with frustration, saying that it is precisely in these places that politicians want to get proper answers.Some kind of system must be devised.”
Hirofumi Shimomura attends the House of Representatives Committee on Political Ethics at the Diet on March 18th.
– Wouldn’t it have been easier to sell party tickets in the name of a faction leader like former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe rather than your own name?
“That’s not true. If you can’t gather 500 or 1,000 people at a party that costs around 20,000 yen, you won’t be able to become a member of the Diet in the first place.”
– Do you think Abe’s pro-Abe leaders have given sufficient explanations at press conferences and political ethics councils?
“It’s not that the money coming in and going out is against the law, but that it’s not being recorded (in the political fund income and expenditure report) that it’s a violation of the law, so we’re just going to record it from now on. Don’t say it in a clear way.” So, I feel that this is becoming even more negative.It seems like they are trying to cover things up with words.This makes it difficult for voters and the people to see anything, and it is leading to distrust in politics.”
“(The kickback from the faction chairman, Mr. Abe, in April 2022) was told, “Let’s stop it because it’s strange,” but it’s a big problem. It is impossible for Mr. or anyone else to say, “I don’t know.”
-Actually, I know.
“I know. Money comes in and money comes out, so there’s no way the person who was the secretary general (of the faction) doesn’t know. The faction has a secretary general (who is an employee) who is not a politician, but There’s no way they’d make arbitrary decisions and hand out (money) without listening to the voices of others. They were being ordered or instructed to do so, so it would be a lie to say they didn’t know.”
general secretary of the factionPerson in charge of faction management.For Abe’s faction, Hirofumi Shimomura, former Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, former Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura, and former head of the National Assembly Committee on Measures Takeshi Takagi have been accused since 2018, when the statute of limitations for violating the Political Funds Control Act (non-statement/false entry) does not apply. was serving
– Mr. Hirofumi Shimomura also has experience as secretary general. What did you hear about his defense at the House of Representatives Political Ethics Committee?
“Shimomura-kun is also a junior in Waseda University’s oratory competition. He’s a young person, and I have high hopes for him. I want him to speak properly. It’s not like him.”
―It was thought that he would testify more specifically about former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, who was the chairman of the Abe faction (Seiwa Policy Research Group).
“Mori-san and Shimomura-kun’s (relationship) is completely broken. They are all at the Oratory Society, and they are supposed to be the best of friends, but a rift has formed. Shimomura-kun is also a representative of the country, but (Mr. Mori) Since he’s a senior, I guess he’s acting like he understands.However, we won’t be in Mr. Mori’s era forever.We need to be a little more articulate.”
“Mr. Mori is big and tough, but he is actually a weak-willed person. Mr. Mori is being heavily criticized by Hamako (former member of the Liberal Democratic Party’s House of Representatives, Koichi Hamada, and father of Yasichi Hamada, chairman of the country relations committee) at the party’s board meeting. Inside, I once calmed Hamako down by telling him, “Enough is enough.”
Koichi Hagiuda holds a press conference regarding the slush money scandal at the Diet on January 22nd.
-Did Mr. Koichi Hagiuda, who held the press conference, give a sufficient explanation?
“He’s not very clear. I think Hagiuda is a person who will grow in the future within the LDP. He is the person who can take the best leadership role in Tokyo as a whole. I think he is the person who can take over the world. However, I think there was a slight blemish. Well, it can be fixed. If you continue to work hard, you will be able to live up to our expectations.”
– Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to announce punishments for Abe’s pro-Abe executives and other “slush fund members” in early April.
“It seems that they are considering severe punishment, but the lawmakers involved need to be properly punished. They mustn’t make the same mistake again.”
◆ “Isn’t it impossible for Mizuto Kakizawa to return to politics?”
– A meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Youth Bureau that invited a female dancer who exposed a lot of skin also became a problem. Director-General Takashi Fujiwara and Deputy Director-General Yasutaka Nakasone, who were present, took responsibility and resigned.
“It’s the worst. I feel like he doesn’t have a modern sense. Being the head of the youth director is a career progression course. I had Junichiro Koizumi in my class, but I was the first to become the head of the youth director. It was a great honor.”
– Speaking of Mr. Nakasone, he is the grandson of former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, who was once the chairman of the faction to which Mr. Fukaya belonged.
“I felt bad because he didn’t cause the problem and just showed up by chance.It just so happens that I’m going to meet Mr. Nakasone next time.It’s a good opportunity for a member of the Diet to come across such a situation.” If that happens, I will stand out from my seat in a conspicuous way in anger, and I will say that is important.”
-Among the Liberal Democratic Party members in Tokyo who have recently caused problems, there is Mizu Kakizawa (who left the party and resigned from the House of Representatives), who was found guilty of election fraud related to the Koto Ward mayoral election in April 2023.
“It’s an old election from the Showa era. I’m surprised why someone so young would do something like this. I don’t think it’s possible for me to return to politics. Even if I’m asked to run, I won’t agree.”
◆Tokyo gubernatorial election: “There is no need to run an ‘anti-Koike’ candidate”
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike receiving a question about the Tokyo 15th Ward by-election for the House of Representatives at a press conference, March 29th, from Tokyo’s official YouTube channel
-In the by-election for Tokyo’s 15th Ward in the House of Representatives following Kakizawa’s resignation, the Tokyo Citizens First Association will endorse Hiromasa Ototake, a writer known for “Five Body Dissatisfaction.” The Liberal Democratic Party has decided not to field its own candidate and is considering whether to support Ototake.
“I don’t know because I just heard about it. The Liberal Democratic Party just needs to find the best candidate in terms of policy and other aspects.”
– There had been talk of the possibility that Ms. Koike herself would run for a by-election in Tokyo’s 15th ward, but this has now ended, and it is now highly likely that Ms. Koike will aim for a third term in the Tokyo gubernatorial election in July.
“There is no movement from the LDP to run a rival against Ms. Koike. There is no one with the will to compete against her. There is no one who is saying that I should do it. There is no movement like before to fight fiercely and defeat Ms. Koike. The scene has completely disappeared. Ms. Koike has also changed a lot and is leaning towards the LDP. If Ms. Koike remains in the party, there is no need for the LDP to put forward an “anti-Koike” candidate. “No war.” I guess. It’s not a bye. It’s neither a win nor a loss.”
– Ms. Koike left the Liberal Democratic Party and founded the regional party “Tomin First Association,” which has been in conflict with the Liberal Democratic Party in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. Have the Liberal Democratic Party Toren and Mr. Koike reconciled?
“There is still a lump in everyone’s hearts about Ms. Koike’s selfishness. Still, I feel like the relationship is being repaired somehow. To begin with, we shared the same opinion (when she was in the Liberal Democratic Party). I was also the chairman, and at that time we were all friends.”
◆Nobuaki Ishihara’s change to the House of Councilors election: “I will support it if I am consulted”
In Mr. Fukaya’s home in Asakusa, Tokyo, there was a large clock decorated with a portrait of the famous actor Yujiro Ishihara (who passed away in 1987). “That’s Yujiro,” he said, and then talked about his friendship with the Ishihara family, including Yujiro and his older brother, former Tokyo Governor Shintaro (who passed away in 2022). Mr. Fukaya and Mr. Shintaro Ishihara were also contemporaries who were first elected to the House of Representatives in 1972.
Takashi Fukaya talks about his memories with Yujiro Ishihara.A clock with Yujiro’s portrait is displayed in the back (March 26th, Kaminarimon, Taito Ward)
“That was the clock I got from Yujiro while I was drinking with him at his house.He took the clock off the wall and wrote “Fukaya Big Brother” on the side.”
“Yujiro and I were really close friends. I met Yujiro through Shintaro Ishihara, and Yujiro’s sense of duty and humanity was on an order of magnitude. He always considers other people’s feelings and puts them first. That’s why I want everyone to know. I was liked.”
-Yujiro passed away at the young age of 52.
“A few days before he died, I received a phone call from a mutual acquaintance who said that Yujiro was saying, “The teacher hasn’t come. Have you abandoned me?” so he rushed to the hospital.At that time, he was just in bed. He was lying down on his side, facing away from me, but when he noticed me, he turned around and kept talking to me as he lay facing me. That was the last time he talked to me. For a week after that. He passed away before I could have done that. He was a really nice guy. It was the best.”
“Shintaro is an excellent person, but he thinks he’s too good.During the gubernatorial election, he sang a song in the car and said, “Mr. Fukaya, you know you’re better than Yujiro.” ‘I’m not good at it, at all. I’m lackluster. I think I’m the best at everything, and I show it quite blatantly in many situations. I’m like, ‘Stop saying things like that, it’s disgraceful. I once got angry and said, ‘No!’
-Shintaro’s eldest son, former Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Nobuaki Ishihara, lost the 2021 House of Representatives election, and another LDP-approved candidate has already been chosen for the Tokyo 8th Ward of the House of Representatives.
Nobuaki Ishihara announces that he will not run in the next House of Representatives election at the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters in June 2023.
“My hometown (Suginami Ward) is called “Ishihara Village,” so I never thought it would fall.It’s the fear of elections in Tokyo.When he meets me, he sits straight and greets me, with such seriousness. He’s a great person to have. On the other hand, I’d like him to be a little more similar to Yujiro. I’d like him to be a bit more aggressive.”
– He also hopes to run in the Tokyo House of Councilors election as a successor to Tamayo Marukawa, a member of the House of Councilors who is running for the House of Representatives instead.
“There hasn’t been anything like that yet, but if you come to me for advice, I’ll agree.”
(The interview was conducted on March 26th. Since then, there were new movements surrounding the punishment of the Liberal Democratic Party’s “slush fund members” and the special election for Tokyo’s 15th district of the House of Representatives, so additional interviews were conducted on March 29th. Did)
Takashi FukayaBorn in Asakusa, Tokyo in 1935. The war ends in Manchuria (present-day northeastern China). After graduating from Waseda University’s Faculty of Law, he served as a member of the Taito ward assembly in Tokyo (one term), the Tokyo metropolitan assembly (one term), and was a member of the House of Representatives for a total of nine terms from 1972 to 2009. His first elected contemporaries included Junichiro Koizumi, Koichi Kato, Taku Yamazaki, and Shintaro Ishihara, who were known as “YKK.” He belonged to the Nakasone faction, Watanabe faction, and Yamazaki faction in the Liberal Democratic Party. He retired from politics in 2012 after serving as Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of International Trade and Industry, and Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party. He currently serves as the top advisor of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Tokyo Metropolitan Federation and the president of the “TOKYO Liberal Democratic Party Politics and Economics School.” The blog is “Takashi Fukaya says whatever he wants”
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