Reality of Grabbing Money Revealed with Cash Stuffed as Farewell Gifts and Unclear Uses of Government Confidential Funds
Former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who served as Chief Cabinet Secretary during the Shinzo Abe administration and made a notable impact.In articles published on August 29, “Former Driver’s Decisive Confession: Government Confidential Funds Used as ‘Special Allowances’ for Cabinet Office Escort Staff!” and “New Political and Financial Issue Emerges: The ‘Appalling Reasons’ Government Confidential Funds, Sourced from Taxes, Flowed to Cabinet Office Driving Staff”, it was reported that Cabinet Office reward funds (government confidential funds) are also flowing to drivers and security personnel serving the Chief Cabinet Secretary.
Read “Former Driver’s Decisive Confession: Government Confidential Funds Used as ‘Special Allowances’ for Cabinet Office Escort Staff!” and “New Political and Financial Issue Emerges: The ‘Appalling Reasons’ Government Confidential Funds, Sourced from Taxes, Flowed to Cabinet Office Driving Staff“.
Government Cabinet Office reward funds, also called government confidential funds, are defined as “expenses used flexibly and appropriately according to the immediate mission and situation to smoothly and effectively carry out national affairs or projects.” These funds are used without parliamentary oversight, do not require receipts, and have undisclosed uses, making them akin to “grabbing money” for the ruling administration.
Former Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka, who served during the Obuchi administration in 1998, and other former Chief Cabinet Secretaries have revealed that the uses of confidential funds include “dining expenses and gifts for opposition lawmakers to pass bills,” “gifts to political commentators for public opinion management,” and “farewell gifts for ruling and opposition lawmakers on overseas trips.”
Suspicion Rises That Confidential Funds Were Used for the 200,000 Yen Tokyo Olympics Album
In November 2023, Hiroshi Hase (63), the Governor of Ishikawa Prefecture, revealed in a lecture that confidential funds were used for the 200,000 yen per album gift given to International Olympic Committee (IOC) members under the direction of then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as part of the Tokyo Olympics bid activities.
“The “Hase Diary” on Ameba Blog noted that then-Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga (75) had urged, “Since Prime Minister Abe is also strongly hoping for this, please make sure that the government and the party work together to secure the bid.” This post led to speculation among reporters that confidential funds were definitely used for the album.”
Governor Hase quickly fell silent, leaving the truth uncertain. Subsequently, Takeo Kawamura (81), who served as Chief Cabinet Secretary under Taro Aso’s administration, added this regarding the suspicion:
“What Governor Hase leaked was also (confidential funds). It was needed suddenly and could not be included in the budget; it benefits the national interest. Such money can only be covered by reward funds.”
