February 8, 2021

A revelation has come out regarding the scandal involving Prime Minister Suga's son who works at satellite broadcaster "Tohokushinsha" and who had illegally wined and dined four senior officials of the Ministry of Communications (the broadcasting authority).

The founder and the president at that time of Tohokushinsha provided a total of four million yen in political donations to PM Suga's Liberal Democratic Party chapter between 2012 and 2018, according to the chapter's political funds reports.

The founder of Tohokushinsha is from Yurihonjo City in Akita Prefecture, the same city as PM Suga.

The new revelation highlighted the collusive ties among PM Suga, who served as Minister of Communications, the Ministry, and media-related businesses.

Suga in the Diet said, "My son and I are totally separate persons," acting as if he had nothing to do with his son's entertaining of the four bureaucrats. His son, however, was a secretary to the Communications Minister when Suga himself assumed that post. The son now is an employee of the company whose founder donated money to Suga. Reportedly, the son entertained the high-ranking officials late last year. It was when the satellite "Star Channel" in which Tohokushinsha is a stockholder had to receive the Ministry's approval for a renewal of the channel's broadcasting license.

PM Suga should be held accountable if it is found that broadcasting administration functions were distorted after his son's wining and dining of the relevant bureaucrats.