China News Service, March 4, reported that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan has punished 11 people for accepting hospitality from officials.
On the 3rd, Taniwaki Yasuhiko and Yamada Makiko, who were punished, were revealed to have been entertained by the Japan Telecom and Telephone Group NTT.
NTT admitted that "the dinner is true" and stated that it is investigating the details; the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan has also started investigating the factual relationship.
According to the "Central News Agency", 11 employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan illegally accepted the reception of the broadcasting company "Tohoku Shinsha", the eldest son of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and this caused controversy. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications punished General Affairs Review Officer Ya on February 24. Waki Yasuhiko and other 11 people; Yamada Makiko also accepted the "Tohoku Shinsha" reception when he served in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and was allowed to resign from the Cabinet Propaganda Officer on March 1.
According to the latest Japanese media report, Sawada Jun, the president of NTT of Japan Telecom and Telephone Group, and others were revealed to have hosted a number of Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications officials, including in June 2020, a banquet for Yamada Makiko, who was then General Affairs Review Officer, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications International Strategy Director Eiji Makiguchi has a meal cost of about 50,000 yen per person; Taniwaki Yasuhiko accepted NTT three times from September 2019 to July 2020, with a total meal cost of more than 170,000 yen.
NTT admitted that "the dinner is true" and stated that it is investigating details such as time and amount.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan has also started investigating the factual relationship.
In addition, Taniwaki Yasuhiko previously argued in Congress that he had not accepted illegal hospitality other than "Tohoku News Agency", and the consistency of his remarks is expected to be questioned.
According to Kyodo News, for employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan, Sawada and others belong to the "interested persons" in the national civil service ethics code.
Even if you are paying for it yourself, you need to declare in advance if it is a dinner of more than 10,000 yen, but the declaration is not actually done.
In an interview with Kyodo News on the 3rd, Taniwaki Yasuhiko repeatedly said "please forgive me" without mentioning the details.