Japan Press Weekly

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2007 November 7 - 13 [SDF]

Arrested ex-Yamada Corp. executive entertained politicians

Miyazaki Motonobu, the ex-executive of arms trader Yamada Corporation, who was arrested on November 8 on suspicion of embezzlement, entertained not only former Vice Defense Minister Moriya Takemasa but also politicians who have influence over military policy.

In his sworn testimony in the October 29 Lower House Special Committee meeting, Moriya in reply to Japanese Communist Party representative Akamine Seiken admitted that ex-Defense chiefs had been present at dinner parties in which Moriya was entertained by Miyazaki.

Akahata revealed that former Defense Minister Kyuma Fumio was wined and dined by the former executive at an exclusive Japanese restaurant in December 2006. At that time, Miyazaki, who had left Yamada Corporation and established his own arms firm Nihon Mirise Corporation, was competing with Yamada Corporation for agent contracts for the Air Self-Defense Force’s cargo transport aircraft engines that the then Defense Agency was planning to procure.

Nukaga Fukushiro, the finance minister and former Defense Agency director general, was also involved in the scandal. In October 2005, when he was invited to a wedding party of the Yamada Corporation owner’s family, he received 200,000 yen as “reimbursement of transportation costs,” Akahata revealed. Nukaga in reply to Akahata’s inquiry said, “I had kept the money and returned it untouched as a congratulation gift.” Miyazaki, however, reportedly told the police that he had paid Nukaga one million yen as “reimbursement of transportation costs.”

Yamada Corporation is also suspected of funding Tamura Hideaki, former Air Self-Defense Force officer, in 1989 when he stood for an Upper House election under the Liberal Democratic Party ticket.

Yamada Corporation also gave donations of 300,000 yen to Yanagimoto Takuji, House of Representatives member and LDP General Council deputy chair, in FY 2002, and 120,000 yen to former Labor Minister Murakami Masakuni (LDP) in FY 2000.

Furthermore, Democratic Party President Ozawa Ichiro also received a total of six million yen in donations from Yamada Corporation. Ozawa said that he returned all the money to the arms trader after the revelation of scandals involving it.

Yamada Corporation reportedly provided funds to 15 politicians, including Tamura and Ozawa, by purchasing tickets for their fund-raising parties.
- Akahata, November 9, 2007