Blackmailing of Payment for Chairmanship

“If you want to take the seat, you need to pay 5 million yen.” It could have been an ordinary deal in the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly. One member of the assembly revealed that he had paid 20 million yen to be the chairman. Although the heavyweights in the assembly denied that story, the accuser called it the system of blackmailing. Close relationship between politics and secret money is seen in local politics in Japan. 

A member of Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly, Motoaki Yoshimatsu, who was the chairman of the assembly between June 2020 and May 2021, confessed that he paid 20 million yen to be the chairman. The money was for playing fee of golf with assembly members or cost for dining in luxurious Japanese food restaurant. Yoshimatsu borrowed money to pay for that.

 

Although he was affiliated with a small group in the assembly, Yoshimatsu could make his chairmanship with approval of other members. There must be a fixer behind that. Yoshimatsu was asked by a senior member whether he would make effort for “smooth procedure” in the assembly. The senior member was the leader of a group affiliated with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

 

Another assembly member with the LDP group, Hideyuki Eto who was the vice-chairman of Yoshimatsu, also revealed that he paid 8.25 million yen to the veterans of the LDP group for his post. Eto argued that he had handed out 5 million yen to Secretary General of the LDP group, Masayuki Nakao, in January or February 2020. He also paid 3.25 million yen for the expense of transportation for a meeting and playing golf.

 

Other two members, one is with the LDP and another with opposition party, also confessed that they paid for their seats of chairman or vice-chairman. Total amount of money for those four former chairmen and vice-chairmen was 36.25 million yen. Their money was accepted by the LDP group in the assembly. Those payment was compensated with the income from a reception to celebrate assumption of chairman or vice-chairman, to which staffs of Fukuoka prefectural government reportedly attended.

 

Yoshimatsu named Nakao, currently the vice-chairman of the assembly, as the person who instructed Yoshimatsu to pay 10 million yen for a golf event. Nakao denied the fact that he received money from Yoshimatsu and revealed that incumbent chairman, Isao Kurauchi, recommended Yoshimatsu for the chairman. Kurauchi also denied his receipt of money. Yoshimatsu considers submitting a move for recommending resignation of Kurauchi as the chairman.

 

Yoshimatsu disclosed a voice file when he handed out certain amount of money in October 2019. Nakao told Yoshimatsu that a proxy of Nakao would receive “parcel” the day after. “This would be a great amount of money,” said Nakao in the voice record. Nakao admitted that the voice can be his. After disclosure of the voice file, Nakao stepped down as the vice-chairman of the assembly.

 

The heavyweights who are suspected to have received the money for the position of chairman or vice-chairman are affiliated with the LDP. The LDP experienced slush fund scandal in 2023, in which most lawmakers with Abe faction and Nikai Faction was involved. The scandal in Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly indicates lack of transparency over political funds is seen in local level.

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