Political Magician Steps Down

Minister in Charge of Economic Revitalization, Akira Amari, stepped down on Thursday in his money scandal over the donation from a construction company. Amari has been regarded as one of three closest political allies of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, paralleled with Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, and Minister of Finance, Taro Aso. Abe administration lost an important pillar to support whole structure.

In his press conference, Amari admitted that he had received ¥1 million from the company in his office. While an officer of the company witnessed Amari to grab an envelope with bills and put it down in his pocket, Amari denied it, saying “I would never be doing such a thing.” Although Amari argued that the money was processed according to laws, it was undeniable that his sensitivity on money could have been paralyzed. In the discussion on House of Councillors on Thursday, a lawmaker with an opposite party accused Amari indicating that ¥1 million would amount to one half of annual income for the people called working poor.

As one of the Ministers of Abe Cabinet, Amari has been in charge of Abe’s economic policy called Abenomics. While it was on its way to implement “three arrows,” monetary easing, fiscal mobilization and growth policy, Abenomics changed its shape to ¥600 trillion of gross domestic products, 1.8 of birth rate for a couple, and no job loss in need of nursery for elder family. In short, the three arrows changed its shape to be “three targets” without notification. Amari has been leading the policy change, trying to minimize the damage on Abe administration.

Amari has also been in the negotiation over a major free-trade framework, Trans-Pacific Partnership. Both Houses in the Diet passed a resolution to secure national interest in the negotiation. While keeping on saying that he would implement the demand of the Houses, Amari actually promoted the negotiation to wide-open Japanese agricultural market. His words and actions were often out of accordance. Abe’s economic policy has been supported by Amari’s word magic, as well as by Governor of Bank of Japan, Haruhiko Kuroda.

Abe appointed Nobuteru Ishihara, the eldest son of an ultra-conservative former Governor of Tokyo, for replacement of Amari’s position. Ishihara once stepped down as Minister of Environment, after his gaffe to settle the dispute over intermediate processing facility for radioactive waste in Fukushima by money. He would not be reliable in explaining Abe’s economic policies to the public. The biggest damage for Abe administration is losing an efficient magician.