Why Toshihiro Nikai treated “former Police Commissioner Tadasu Nakamura” to a fine Chinese meal

On the evening of November 11, a number of men with a stout physique and who appeared to be SPs stood in front of a Chinese restaurant in Azabu-juban (Minato-ku), Tokyo, where a dinner course costs about 14,000 to 53,000 yen per person. A number of men of solid physique, who looked like SPs, were standing in front of this high-class Chinese restaurant, where a dinner course costs about 14,000 to 53,000 yen per person. It was past 9:00 p.m., and there was a suit inside the restaurant.

A little past 9:00 p.m., a man in a suit came out from inside the restaurant. He was Tadasu Nakamura, 59, former director general of the National Police Agency, who resigned in August after taking responsibility for the shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

On the same day, a banquet was hosted by Toshihiro Nikai, 83, former secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party. The name of the party was a ‘consolation party’ for Mr. Nakamura, who had resigned. In addition to Mr. Nikai, the attendees included Mikio Hayashi (75), Ryota Takeda (54), and other heavyweights of the Nikai faction. And from the National Police Agency side, Nakamura, current National Police Agency Commissioner Yasuhiro Hiroki, 59, and Deputy Commissioner Yoshimi Ogata, 59, were among the attendees. It was a big meeting with more than 10 people in total,” said a source in Nagatacho.

When Nakamura and other top officials of the National Police Agency came out of the restaurant, they were carrying large paper bags in their hands that appeared to be souvenirs. Nikai had just been diagnosed with a new type of corona positive on November 5, and although he was showing signs of recovery by rushing to a campaign rally for a candidate in the Wakayama Prefecture gubernatorial election on November 10, what was the reason for his hospitality to them, even though he was still in a state of sickness? Journalist Tetsuo Suzuki answers.

Journalist Tetsuo Suzuki said, “I think there were two purposes. One was to console Mr. Nakamura, who was literally forced to resign. The other is to strengthen the pipeline with the National Police Agency. The National Police Agency has a powerful intelligence capability, and I think the purpose was to deepen the relationship for the sake of the Nikkai faction in the future.

At the same time, it seems that there were “advantages” for Nakamura as well. A source close to the Liberal Democratic Party said.

When the dust settles, there is a possibility that Nakamura will return as deputy chief cabinet secretary, head of the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office, and so on. He probably wanted to strengthen his relationship with Mr. Nikai in order to lay the groundwork for his return to power.

It was a night of intertwined speculation on the part of both men, who were spending their “time in hiding.

From the December 2 and 9, 2022 issues of “FRIDAY