Cozy relations between politicians, military, and business sector should be thoroughly investigated

Japan Press Weekly

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Cozy relations between politicians, military, and business sector should be thoroughly investigated

Akahata, editorial (excerpts)

Akiyama Naoki, the executive director of the Japan-U.S. Center for Peace and Cultural Exchange, was arrested on suspicion of tax evasion. He has long been recognized as a fixer between Japanese and U.S. military industries and Japanese politicians and bureaucrats representing the interests of the arms industry. The whole truth about their cozy relations exemplified by Akiyama should be established.

It is more than a crime committed by an individual

Akiyama used to be known in certain sectors as an arms industry fixer. He suddenly became a media figure when it was revealed last year that former Vice Defense Minister Moriya Takemasa had been entertained by Miyazaki Motonobu, former executive of defense equipment trader Yamada Corporation.

Akiyama was not only strengthening his ties between Moriya and pro-military buildup politicians, including former Defense Minister Kyuma Fumio. He was organizing Diet members representing the arms industry and Japanese and U.S. military industries, through the Parliamentary Council for National Security and using the Japan-U.S. Center for Peace and Cultural Exchange and Security as conduits for supporting the arms manufacturers’ sales campaign at the Defense Ministry.

Akiyama organized the Parliamentary Council for National Security and the Japan-U.S. Center for Peace and Cultural Exchange. Their members include Kyuma Akio, Nukaga Fukushiro and other Diet members from the Liberal Democratic, Komei, and Democratic parties on the Japanese side, and former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen and senior U.S. government officials, as well as Japanese and U.S. military manufacturers, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kobe Steel.

These groups also influenced the government decision to participate in the U.S. missile defense programs. Considering Akiyama’s role as the promoter of cozy relations between politicians, bureaucrats and industries of the two countries, what he has done should be regarded as more than simply a matter of tax evasion.

The Japan-U.S. Center for Peace and Cultural Exchange has hosted the Japan-U.S. Security Strategy Conference every year and paid Diet members for their travel to and stay in the U.S. in order to participate. The money Akiyama allegedly gleaned from tax evasion could possibly have funded the trips.

Government responsibility

A government panel on reform of the Defense Ministry submitted a report on repeated scandals involving Moriya and Defense Ministry officials to the prime minister. However, the report only raised the matter of “a lack of a sense of responsibility” and failed to expose the cozy relations between politicians, bureaucrats, and manufacturers. The government and the Defense Ministry have responsibility to carry out a thoroughly investigation into the matter. Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo must take the lead in the investigation as the head of the government. - Akahata, July 27, 2008