The Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan admitted that he had dinner with the top executives of the telecommunications company and argued that it did not violate the regulations

　　China News Service, March 18. According to the "Central News Agency" report, Japanese Minister of General Affairs Ryota Takeda has been exposed to dinner with the top executives of Japan Telecom (NTT) and other companies that are in charge of business-related companies after taking office in 2020.

On March 18, Takeda admitted that there was a dinner party, but emphasized that it did not accept the request and did not violate the relevant ministerial regulations.

　　According to reports, Takeda was accused of having dinner with NTT President Jun Sawada and JR Tokai Honorary Chairman Keiyuki Kasai in November 2020.

　　Earlier, when the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications broke out that many senior officials accepted NTT and other companies' hospitality scandals, Takeda said in response to an inquiry in the Diet that he had not participated in a dinner party that would arouse public suspicion.

On March 18, when answering an inquiry to the General Committee of the House of Representatives, Takeda said that he did have a dinner with Kasai and others, but he was invited by Kasai and did not know who else would attend the dinner.

　　Takeda said that because he had other schedules later, he left on the way to the dinner party, only drank a few glasses of wine, and paid 10,000 yen for himself.

During the dinner, he did not accept any requests from the participants, and he believed that the dinner did not violate the minister's rules.

　　Regarding whether NTT was publicly acquiring a mobile communications company at the time of the dinner, Takeda responded that this acquisition did not require the approval of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and NTT could judge by itself.

　　Sawada said that Takeda had a dinner at the same day, but it was not NTT that invited Takeda. NTT did not ask Takeda for business during the dinner.

　　The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan has recently had many disputes.

A few days ago, many officials were punished with salary cuts and admonitions for accepting the reception of the "Northeast News Agency" hosted by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's eldest son Suga Masago.

Soon afterwards, the general affairs review officer Yawaki Yasuhiko Taniwaki was transferred for accepting NTT's "improper banquet."