Poor girl just wanted to look pretty for the OB's

[wagyl]

All we need to find out now is if Abe has been fucking his sister and the circle will be complete.

To channel a J-school graduate, there is no verifiable evidence that he isn't.

[matsuki]

[Isle of View]

So back on topic...

Justice Minister Midori Matsushima resigned after the opposition Democratic Party of Japan filed a criminal complaint against her over distribution of hand-held fans, or “uchiwa.” Matsushima is also facing complaints over using parliament-provided housing while keeping security guards at her private residence in downtown Tokyo.

I made (and IPU can vouch for it) something like 35,000 uchiwa for PR the last two summers....no idea how many she handed out but since when is "over distribution of uchiwa" a crime?

Distribution of any goods to voters is forbidden, so technically she is a bad girl. But it's just that ... a technicality, and another trivial waste of time and taxpayer money that has been played out as fcuking politicians who don't give a shit about the real problems facing the nation jockey for position and power to serve their own personal interests. If every little breach of election law and protocol was treated in the same way there wouldn't be a soul left in the diet to argue about it. I didn't particularly like the woman, but this is just a shameful demonstration of how useless and wasteful the whole political system is.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Isn't her personal secretary supposed to take the fall for this type of shenanigans?

[IparryU]

what is the real reason they wanted her out?

Real reason? It is a political game. The ruling party spend so much time putting out fires that they can't make any progress on their political plans.

Anyway, good to see that the nepotism balance was preserved. Ex PM's daughter replaced by an ex PM's nephew. As I saw someone allude to, I suppose it makes sense: the PM is an ex PM...

All we need to find out now is if Abe has been fucking his sister and the circle will be complete.

He has a sister? I know who I am going to impregnate next.

[matsuki]

Also, it might be a time to be grateful for small mercies:

She is a supporter of death penalty. She said that Islam convicts being served non-pork meal in Japan prisons is a reverse discrimination and should be stopped (in 162nd Committee on Judicial Affairs, 2005). She also said in the same committee, "Criminals' human rights is of secondary importance." and "We should make sex criminals see movies of school girls playing in swimming pools, and use some kind of Lie detector to check if they became decent. Even if they served their time decided by a judge, we don't want sex criminals to be in the outside world."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midori_Matsushima
This was the person responsible for forming policy including for the Immigration Bureau (well, nominally, at least)

Woof

WTF is with the red feather on this bitch?

[wagyl]

WTF is with the red feather on this bitch?

Surely you are aware of Central Community Chest of Japan http://www.akaihane.or.jp/english/index2.html , one of those charities which are quasi-compulsory. In Tokyo you see cub scouts rattling tins at train stations, out here you get an envelope with the red feather included in it to try to force you into a donation (I am made of sterner stuff). I think it is around the end of August or something like that. You will see the newsreaders on TV all with their red feathers in support. They force the donation by de facto public shaming of those who do not have a red feather.

[matsuki]

Thanks wags!

[kurogane]

no idea how many she handed out but since when is "over distribution of uchiwa" a crime?

We have 3 options here:
1) brain fart
2) disingenuity for humorous purposes
3) Messi needs a refresher course at ECC

But regardless..............



Wasn't she doing it at a rally or on election day? At any rate, she sounds like a real peach. I agree with her for different reasons, but that definition of Reverse Discrimination was so Pearl Harbour Head worthy she surely deserves to be rehabilitated to any future LDP cabinets.

FTR, my notion is that the voluntarily retarded should not place themselves in situations where their particular form of retardation becomes an issue, and if they do, F' Em.

[matsuki]

no idea how many she handed out but since when is "over distribution of uchiwa" a crime?

We have 3 options here:
1) brain fart
2) disingenuity for humorous purposes
3) Messi needs a refresher course at ECC

But regardless..............



Wasn't she doing it at a rally or on election day? At any rate, she sounds like a real peach. I agree with her for different reasons, but that definition of Reverse Discrimination was so Pearl Harbour Head worthy she surely deserves to be rehabilitated to any future LDP cabinets.

FTR, my notion is that the voluntarily retarded should not place themselves in situations where their particular form of retardation becomes an issue, and if they do, F' Em.

Sorry, my FG-mind can't comprehend that paper/plastic fans covered in advertising could be considered "a gift" and yet still be written off as an advertising expense. (or that one would want to vote for someone because they received said fan) Regardless of the method though, seems like a good thing she has "resigned."

[wagyl]

Choko, they don't even give out snot rags. They only give out newsletters and leaflets trumpetting their achievements and policies.

They don't come to your front door and shake your hand, for fear that they will slip you a little something.

The origin of this rule was the US Occupation, but the way, to foster healthy democracy.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2012/1 ... ed-quirky/

[matsuki]

Choko, they don't even give out snot rags. They only give out newsletters and leaflets trumpetting their achievements and policies.

They don't come to your front door and shake your hand, for fear that they will slip you a little something.

The origin of this rule was the US Occupation, but the way, to foster healthy democracy.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2012/1 ... ed-quirky/

Yeah, I get that giving out something like a brand name fan or whatever would be considered a gift...but one plastered with your PR, that's advertising, as recognized in business. Anyhow, like many other areas of law here, just have to accept outdated and gray laws make for really weird situations like this.

[kurogane]

Sorry, my FG-mind can't comprehend that paper/plastic fans covered in advertising could be considered "a gift" and yet still be written off as an advertising expense. (or that one would want to vote for someone because they received said fan) Regardless of the method though, seems like a good thing she has "resigned."

No. You read 'over distribution' to mean excessive distribution. But the original meant 'regarding the distribution of.........'.

So, brain fart it was then? At any rate, a good cheap laugh.

BOT: So, IOW, distributing an item of value is prohibited; it must be informative and/or educational/promotional rather than valuable. What a trivial bunch of fetish of principle BS. OTOH, she is ugly as a dinted trash can and a poopy headed fascist to boot, so good riddance to bad rubbish.

[matsuki]

(snip) complaint against her over distribution of hand-held fans, or “uchiwa.”

LOL, it looks like it can be read either way but now I finally see what you were saying...and yes, good riddance to bad rubbish!

[kurogane]

Yeah, I got what you meant right away. And enjoyed it.

But anyways, trivial as her offences were, they were not nearly as offensive as her triviality.

[Russell]

That didn't take long for Obuchi's successor.

New trade chief slapped by S&M scandal after only three days on job

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was Thursday dealing with another ministerial accounting scandal, after the office of newly appointed trade minister Yoichi Miyazawa admitted it had paid ¥18,230 to a sadomasochism sex show bar in Hiroshima.

Kyodo News first reported the scandal, citing an entry in Miyazawa’s official political fund report for 2010.

The ¥18,230 was paid to Mazan, an adult-entertainment bar in Hiroshima’s Naka Ward. The bar offers visitors a live S&M show featuring a woman in underwear tied up in ropes. Enthusiasts are invited to join in.

Reporters performing due diligence confirm that at least one blog on the Internet carries images of the scene.

“It came right out of the blue,” Miyazawa told reporters at his ministry later Thursday. “I swear I didn’t go there . . . I’ve never even heard of the bar’s name.”

Shigeru Muta, a secretary to Miyazawa, told The Japan Times that the expense arose when a member of the office staff went to the bar privately. He underscored that the visit did not involve the minister.

Miyazawa is an Upper House member from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and a nephew of former Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa.

Muta said the expense was “very inappropriate” and that Miyazawa’s office intends to recover the money from the staffer. It may also amend its political funds report declaration.

The revelation is particularly embarrassing for Abe’s Cabinet because it was only Miyazawa’s third day on the job. He replaced Yuko Obuchi, who resigned on Monday after only seven weeks in the post, brought down by her own office’s allegedly shady spending of political funds.

More

Well, he is doing the right thing. Let a staffer take the blame...

[dimwit]

Meanwhile, the chief accountant of Miyazawa’s office is unlikely to be punished under the Political Funds Control Law because the amount of the expense was so small and the name of the bar and the amount of the expense were correctly recorded, said Hiroshi Kamiwaki, professor of law at Kobe Gakuin University.

So a S&M club is a legit expense as long as it is correctly recorded. I wonder what would happen if I tried to do that on my taxes?

[J.A.F.O]

Didn't the IRS own the Mustang Ranch Nevada whore house in the 90's?

[matsuki]

Well, he is doing the right thing. Let a staffer take the blame...

Cause everyone believes a staffer was allowed to bill an S&M show to the company account

So what's with the sudden influx of new regarding politicians flouting away taxpayer money on bizarre/inappropriate ways? I mean, I love it that these assholes are getting called out on it...but what is trying to be buried while this goes on? Somehow I don't think it's simply

Reporters performing due diligence

[Wage Slave]

Is this taxpayers money or "his" money - or at least money donated by his supporters to be used as he sees fit.

Same question about the fans. The problem was not misuse of public funds - it was the fact she used her own (or her supporters donated) money to do something that could be seen as buying votes.

[matsuki]

Is this taxpayers money or "his" money - or at least money donated by his supporters to be used as he sees fit.

Same question about the fans. The problem was not misuse of public funds - it was the fact she used her own (or her supporters donated) money to do something that could be seen as buying votes.

So....who is the supposed staffer and what kind of kickback is he/she getting for taking the blame?

[Russell]

Ex-minister Obuchi linked to further suspicious expenses in 2013

In the wake of former trade minister Yuko Obuchi's resignation last month over dubious political funds reports from 2008 to 2012, a report released Wednesday shows more than 8.14 million yen in unexplained expenses by her support groups in 2013 and around 950,000 yen spent on "potatoes."

The discrepancy was found in the 2013 income and expenditure report on political funding tabled by the electoral management committee of Gunma Prefecture in eastern Japan, home to Obuchi's constituency.

According to the report, Obuchi's support group and the chapter of the Liberal Democratic Party in her district posted expenses of almost 19 million yen on tickets and other costs for organizing trips to theater nights and baseball games in 2013, but listed only about 11 million yen in takings from these events.

More

She spent 950,000 yen on potatoes?!?

That must've been a hell of a fest...

[matsuki]

??

[Samurai_Jerk]

Potatoes are pretty expensive here.