This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/23/world/asia/japan-akira-amari-bribery-claims.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Japan Economy Minister Fights Accusations of Selling Favors Japan Economy Minister Fights Accusations of Selling Favors
(about 17 hours later)
HONG KONG — The Japanese economy minister, Akira Amari, a high-profile supporter of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s policies on trade and the economy, is fighting potentially damaging accusations that he received funds from a construction company in return for political favors. HONG KONG — The Japanese economy minister, Akira Amari, a high-profile supporter of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s policies on trade and the economy, is fighting potentially damaging accusations that he received funds from a construction company in return for political favors.
“I haven’t broken any laws,” Mr. Amari said at a news conference on Friday, in comments reported by the Japanese news media. He had earlier said that he had only “vague” memories of his dealings with the construction company, which, according to a Japanese magazine, gave him and his aides cash and gifts totaling 12 million yen, or about $100,000. “I haven’t broken any laws,” Mr. Amari said at a news conference on Friday, in comments reported by the Japanese news media.
The funds were never reported in mandatory records on campaign financing, said the magazine, Shukan Bunshun. The company told the magazine that it was involved in a dispute with the government over a public works contract and was seeking Mr. Amari’s help in settling the matter in its favor. He had earlier said that he had only “vague” memories of his dealings with the construction company, which, according to a Japanese magazine, gave him and his aides cash and gifts totaling 12 million yen, or about $100,000.
The funds were never reported in mandatory records on campaign financing, said the magazine, Shukan Bunshun.
The company told the magazine that it was involved in a dispute with the government over a public works contract and was seeking Mr. Amari’s help in settling the matter in its favor.
Mr. Amari said little else about the allegations at the news conference but promised to provide more details “within a week, after confirming my memories.” He said that he had no plans to resign and that Mr. Abe had encouraged him to “focus on my job.”Mr. Amari said little else about the allegations at the news conference but promised to provide more details “within a week, after confirming my memories.” He said that he had no plans to resign and that Mr. Abe had encouraged him to “focus on my job.”
Funding scandals are a recurring problem in Japanese politics, and Mr. Abe has lost several cabinet ministers to them in the past. Mr. Amari is by far the most prominent ally of the prime minister to come under suspicion over his financial dealings.Funding scandals are a recurring problem in Japanese politics, and Mr. Abe has lost several cabinet ministers to them in the past. Mr. Amari is by far the most prominent ally of the prime minister to come under suspicion over his financial dealings.
Mr. Amari oversaw Japan’s negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the wide-ranging trade deal signed last year by Japan and 11 other nations, including the United States. He is also in charge of implementing elements of Mr. Abe’s domestic economic agenda, known as Abenomics, particularly deregulation efforts aimed at making the economy more flexible and competitive. Mr. Amari oversaw Japan’s negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the wide-ranging trade deal signed last year by Japan and 11 other nations, including the United States. He is also in charge of carrying out elements of Mr. Abe’s domestic economic agenda, known as Abenomics, particularly deregulation efforts aimed at making the economy more flexible and competitive.
“It’s a major blow” to Mr. Abe’s government, said Hiroshi Kamiwaki, an expert on political financing laws at Kobe Gakuin University. Parliament has not yet approved the Pacific trade accord, he noted, and if Mr. Amari is forced to resign, “who is going to defend it in the legislative debate?” “It’s a major blow” to Mr. Abe’s government, said Hiroshi Kamiwaki, an expert on political financing laws at Kobe Gakuin University.
Parliament has not yet approved the Pacific trade accord, he noted, and if Mr. Amari is forced to resign, “who is going to defend it in the legislative debate?”
Mr. Amari did not deny that his office had received the funds, and he seemed to try to draw a line between himself and the role said to have been played by two aides in his office.Mr. Amari did not deny that his office had received the funds, and he seemed to try to draw a line between himself and the role said to have been played by two aides in his office.
Tamayo Marukawa, the environment minister, confirmed on Friday that one of the aides had met with officials at her ministry over part of the dispute involving the construction company. The issue was related to the disposal of industrial waste at a public works site in Chiba Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo. Tamayo Marukawa, the environment minister, confirmed on Friday that one of the aides had met with officials at her ministry over part of the dispute involving the construction company.
The issue was related to the disposal of industrial waste at a public works site in Chiba Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo.
But Ms. Marukawa said the aide was merely seeking information about the case and did not try to influence its outcome.But Ms. Marukawa said the aide was merely seeking information about the case and did not try to influence its outcome.
The minister of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism, Keiichi Ishii, said his ministry was examining allegations in the Shukan Bunshun report that the construction company, which the magazine did not identify by name, used Mr. Amari’s office as a conduit to pass gift certificates to ministry officials with jurisdiction over other aspects of the case.The minister of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism, Keiichi Ishii, said his ministry was examining allegations in the Shukan Bunshun report that the construction company, which the magazine did not identify by name, used Mr. Amari’s office as a conduit to pass gift certificates to ministry officials with jurisdiction over other aspects of the case.
“I honestly had no idea what my secretaries were doing,” Mr. Amari said.“I honestly had no idea what my secretaries were doing,” Mr. Amari said.
The opposition condemned Mr. Amari’s response to the accusations as inadequate. “He hasn’t provided a single explanation,” Yoshiaki Takaki, a senior official of the Democratic Party of Japan, the largest opposition group, said in Parliament. The opposition condemned Mr. Amari’s response to the accusations as inadequate.
“He hasn’t provided a single explanation,” Yoshiaki Takaki, a senior official of the Democratic Party of Japan, the largest opposition group, said in Parliament.
Members of the opposition walked out of Parliament before a previously scheduled address by Mr. Amari on Friday.Members of the opposition walked out of Parliament before a previously scheduled address by Mr. Amari on Friday.
Funding scandals involving cabinet ministers helped bring down a previous government headed by Mr. Abe in 2007. After he returned to power in 2012, the prime minister at first seemed to do a better job of avoiding such difficulties.Funding scandals involving cabinet ministers helped bring down a previous government headed by Mr. Abe in 2007. After he returned to power in 2012, the prime minister at first seemed to do a better job of avoiding such difficulties.
But embarrassing revelations have mounted more recently, including the resignations in late 2014 of two female ministers, Yuko Obuchi and Midori Matsushima, who had been appointed as part of a highly publicized effort to increase diversity in the government.But embarrassing revelations have mounted more recently, including the resignations in late 2014 of two female ministers, Yuko Obuchi and Midori Matsushima, who had been appointed as part of a highly publicized effort to increase diversity in the government.