Former Driver Reveals Government Secret Funds Used as Special Allowances for Cabinet Office Chauffeur Staff

How deep is the darkness of “politics and money”?

There is money funded by taxes that, without being checked by the Diet, does not require receipts, and its usage is not disclosed. This is known as “Cabinet Office Reward Funds,” also called “Confidential Funds.” It is described as “expenses used flexibly to smoothly and effectively carry out national affairs.”

The total amount is said to exceed 1 billion yen annually and is included in the Cabinet Office’s budget each year. Although it undergoes accounting audits at the time of payment, the recipients are not disclosed to the public.

In November 2023, a statement made by Governor Hiroshi Hase (63) of Ishikawa Prefecture at a lecture became a topic of discussion. He revealed that confidential funds were used to pay for 200,000 yen albums given to members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the instruction of Shinzo Abe for Tokyo Olympic bid activities. However, after this statement drew attention, Governor Hase retracted it, stating that there were “several factual inaccuracies,” and avoided further explanation, leaving the matter unresolved.

“Free to use without receipts, confidential funds are said to be the ‘lubricant of power.’ It is said to be used for expenses related to dining with opposition party members for parliamentary strategy and for bribing political commentators for public opinion management, but the reality remains shrouded in darkness,” said a political reporter from a national newspaper.

However, this time, Friday Digital has succeeded in making contact with a person who is for the first time clearly stating the usage of this enigmatic lubricant of power.