Japan Press Weekly

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2019 November 27 - December 3 [POLITICS]

Consumer Affairs Minister admits that head of disgraceful firm was invited to cherry blossom-viewing party

The Consumer Affairs Minister on November 26 at a House of Representatives committee meeting admitted that the head of a company which is currently under criminal investigation had been invited to a government-hosted cherry blossom-viewing party in the past.

The company in question is Tokyo-based Japan Life. The firm is notorious for its business using the controversial multi-level marketing system which is strictly regulated under the law on commercial transactions.

On the previous day, Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Tamura Tomoko at a House Audit and Oversight of Administration Committee meeting revealed that in 2015, an invitation to the cherry blossom-viewing party was sent to the then chairman of Japan Life which had already received administrative punishment at that time. In April this year, the company was raided by the police as part of an investigation into the company’s violation of the Specified Commercial Transactions Law.

Based on Tamura’s Diet questioning, Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan member of the House of representatives Yamamoto Wakako at a House Special Committee on Consumer Affairs on November 26 urged Consumer Affairs Minister Eto Seiichi to explain about the selection of the Japan Life chair.

Eto in reply said, “I don’t know how in the world the company chairman was included in the guest list.” Referring to the fact that Japan Life made full use of the government invitation to give the impression that the company’s business is legitimate, Eto said that it was regrettable.

Past related articles:
> Cherry blossom party cancelled, but opposition parties continue investigating scandal: Koike [November 14, 2019]