Wednesday, June 15, 2016 3:47:08 PM
Second Tokyo governor quits over scandal since it won Olympics
TOKYO | By Elaine Lies
Wed Jun 15, 2016 8:23am EDT
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-politics-masuzoe-idUSKCN0Z1031
---
Tokyo's governor Yoichi Masuzoe resigns over expenses scandal
Revelations that he spent millions on lavish trips and holidays come less than a month before a key election for his party
Yoichi Masuzoe was due to travel to the Olympics in Rio next month as the representative
of the next host city. Photograph: Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images
Justin McCurry in Tokyo
Wednesday 15 June 2016 19.40 AEST
Last modified on Wednesday 15 June 2016 23.24 AEST
The governor of Tokyo, Yoichi Masuzoe, has resigned following revelations about his profligate spending habits in a scandal that risked damaging the political fortunes of the country’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe.
His resignation on Wednesday came after officials from the ruling Liberal Democratic party (LDP), which had supported his candidacy .. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/09/yoichi-masuzoe-pro-nuclear-wins-tokyo-gubernatorial-election , turned on the governor in an attempt to avoid a voter backlash in key elections next month.
Masuzoe had resisted calls to resign during weeks of media coverage of his lavish use of political funds – some of which comes from Tokyo’s taxpayers – on travel, accommodation and gifts.
His problems began in April, when a weekly magazine revealed he had used official cars to make dozens of family trips to his holiday home at a hot-spring resort south of Tokyo. Last month, he admitted recording private hotel and restaurant bills as work-related.
It was also revealed that he had spent more than 200m yen (£1.32m) on eight overseas trips during his two years in office.
A weeklong trip to Paris and London late last year in connection with Tokyo’s preparations for the 2020 Olympics cost about 50m yen, with Masuzoe flying first-class and staying in luxury suites. Expenses for that trip included more than 9m yen on hotel bills and 14.4m yen in air fares for Masuzoe and his delegation.
There was widespread consternation when it was reported that he had used political funds to buy artworks and comics.
While the 67-year-old, whose four-year term was supposed to run until 2018, denied breaking any laws, he faced a barrage of criticism over his love of the high life while many of Tokyo’s 13.5 million people tighten their belts.
His profligacy .. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/01/governor-tokyo-apologises-lavish-spending .. prompted a flood of complaints from Tokyo residents, triggering concern in the LDP, led by the prime minister, Shinzo Abe, that the party could become the target of a voter backlash in upper house elections on 10 July.
Although Masuzoe insisted he would not step down after lawyers found his spending had been inappropriate but not illegal, his fate was sealed after the LDP officials privately urged him to quit hours before a no-confidence motion put forward by all the major parties in the Tokyo assembly.
His departure comes weeks before he was due to take part in the handover of the Olympic flag at the Games’ closing ceremony in Rio de Janeiro .. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/olympic-games-2016 .. in his role as leader of the event’s next host city.
Masuzoe had been a critic of the ballooning costs of hosting the Olympics, and successfully pressured organisers into moving the venues for some events to other locations instead of building new facilities.
While his resignation is not expected to seriously affect Tokyo’s already troubled preparations .. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/may/11/tokyo-olympics-payment-diack-2020-games .. for 2020, the city’s Olympic officials conceded his English- and French-language skills would be missed.
“He had a strong emotional attachment to the Games and spoke passionately about making them a success,” Yuko Arakida, a member of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, was quoted as saying by the Kyodo news agency.
“Because of his foreign language proficiency, he brought social skills. [His resignation] is extremely regrettable.”
Masuzoe’s resignation is likely to take effect on 21 June, with an election for his successor expected in late July or early August.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/15/tokyo-governor-yoichi-masuzoe-resigns-expenses-scandal
TOKYO | By Elaine Lies
Wed Jun 15, 2016 8:23am EDT
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-politics-masuzoe-idUSKCN0Z1031
---
Tokyo's governor Yoichi Masuzoe resigns over expenses scandal
Revelations that he spent millions on lavish trips and holidays come less than a month before a key election for his party
Yoichi Masuzoe was due to travel to the Olympics in Rio next month as the representative
of the next host city. Photograph: Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images
Justin McCurry in Tokyo
Wednesday 15 June 2016 19.40 AEST
Last modified on Wednesday 15 June 2016 23.24 AEST
The governor of Tokyo, Yoichi Masuzoe, has resigned following revelations about his profligate spending habits in a scandal that risked damaging the political fortunes of the country’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe.
His resignation on Wednesday came after officials from the ruling Liberal Democratic party (LDP), which had supported his candidacy .. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/09/yoichi-masuzoe-pro-nuclear-wins-tokyo-gubernatorial-election , turned on the governor in an attempt to avoid a voter backlash in key elections next month.
Masuzoe had resisted calls to resign during weeks of media coverage of his lavish use of political funds – some of which comes from Tokyo’s taxpayers – on travel, accommodation and gifts.
His problems began in April, when a weekly magazine revealed he had used official cars to make dozens of family trips to his holiday home at a hot-spring resort south of Tokyo. Last month, he admitted recording private hotel and restaurant bills as work-related.
It was also revealed that he had spent more than 200m yen (£1.32m) on eight overseas trips during his two years in office.
A weeklong trip to Paris and London late last year in connection with Tokyo’s preparations for the 2020 Olympics cost about 50m yen, with Masuzoe flying first-class and staying in luxury suites. Expenses for that trip included more than 9m yen on hotel bills and 14.4m yen in air fares for Masuzoe and his delegation.
There was widespread consternation when it was reported that he had used political funds to buy artworks and comics.
While the 67-year-old, whose four-year term was supposed to run until 2018, denied breaking any laws, he faced a barrage of criticism over his love of the high life while many of Tokyo’s 13.5 million people tighten their belts.
His profligacy .. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/01/governor-tokyo-apologises-lavish-spending .. prompted a flood of complaints from Tokyo residents, triggering concern in the LDP, led by the prime minister, Shinzo Abe, that the party could become the target of a voter backlash in upper house elections on 10 July.
Although Masuzoe insisted he would not step down after lawyers found his spending had been inappropriate but not illegal, his fate was sealed after the LDP officials privately urged him to quit hours before a no-confidence motion put forward by all the major parties in the Tokyo assembly.
His departure comes weeks before he was due to take part in the handover of the Olympic flag at the Games’ closing ceremony in Rio de Janeiro .. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/olympic-games-2016 .. in his role as leader of the event’s next host city.
Masuzoe had been a critic of the ballooning costs of hosting the Olympics, and successfully pressured organisers into moving the venues for some events to other locations instead of building new facilities.
While his resignation is not expected to seriously affect Tokyo’s already troubled preparations .. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/may/11/tokyo-olympics-payment-diack-2020-games .. for 2020, the city’s Olympic officials conceded his English- and French-language skills would be missed.
“He had a strong emotional attachment to the Games and spoke passionately about making them a success,” Yuko Arakida, a member of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, was quoted as saying by the Kyodo news agency.
“Because of his foreign language proficiency, he brought social skills. [His resignation] is extremely regrettable.”
Masuzoe’s resignation is likely to take effect on 21 June, with an election for his successor expected in late July or early August.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/15/tokyo-governor-yoichi-masuzoe-resigns-expenses-scandal
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