Ichiro Matsui’s Support for Koichi Hagiuda Amid Slush Fund Scandal Reveals Deeper Reason

In Hachiōji City, Tokyo’s 24th district, former House of Representatives member Kōichi Hagiuda, running as an independent in the House of Representatives election (with voting held on October 27), is facing a tough battle.

His fiercest opponent is former House of Councillors member Yoshifumi Arita from the Constitutional Democratic Party.

Polls indicate a dead heat, with some data showing Arita slightly ahead. Arita has continued to denounce the former Unification Church and is focusing on his relationship with Hagiuda as a key issue.

Hagiuda has been scrutinized for his close ties to the former Unification Church, having delivered greetings as a guest at an event attended by 800 people in the church’s main hall, as well as making remarks in front of portraits of Moon Sun-myung and Han Hak-ja.

“Independent” Hagiuda receives support from prominent figures in the Liberal Democratic Party.

Hagiuda is facing scrutiny not only for his ties to the former Unification Church but also for the black money problem.

The total amount of kickbacks from factions not reported in the financial statements has reached 27.28 million yen over five years since 2018. An office staff member allegedly received cash and stored it in a locked drawer at his desk.

As a result, Hagiuda was unable to secure official endorsement from the Liberal Democratic Party and is running as an independent. Naturally, he cannot benefit from proportional representation even if he loses.

“In the case of the Liberal Democratic Party, candidates endorsed in single-member districts receive around 5 million yen as a registration fee, and the party covers the 3 million yen deposit. Additionally, they can benefit from posters created by the party and receive a campaign vehicle, giving them an advantageous position. Moreover, independent candidates do not have campaign broadcasts in national elections. However, it’s not that he is completely abandoned by the LDP and fighting alone. Prominent figures such as Sanae Takaichi, Satsuki Katayama, former Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, and Takayuki Kobayashi, known as ‘Kobahawk,’ have come to support him. There are voices online questioning, ‘What does non-endorsement mean?’ and if he wins, the chances of him smoothly returning to the LDP are quite high,” said a political department reporter from a television station.

Supporters include not only LDP members. On October 19, former Osaka Mayor Ichirō Matsui, who has also served as the head of the Japan Innovation Party, climbed onto Hagiuda’s campaign vehicle as a comrade.

In this district, Yumi Sato, a Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly member from the Japan Innovation Party, is running, but Matsui, a former leader of the party, has chosen to support Hagiuda.

Hagiuda’s official X account stated, 

In this district, Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly member Yoshimoto Sato from the Japan Restoration Party is running, but former Restoration leader Matsui chose to support Hagiuda.

Hagiuda’s office’s official X (formerly Twitter) states:

 

“I was a founding member of the Japan Restoration Party, but now that I am retired, I received warm encouragement saying, ‘I am also an independent! Friendship over parties.’ He is a comrade with whom I sweated together in the party’s youth department during my days as a young local politician.”

However,

“Doesn’t Matsui have other intentions?”

is pointed out by a person connected to a wide show in Osaka.

Many “Ishin-related people” appear in local Kansai programs.

“Matsui has been working as a commentator since his retirement, but he hasn’t been called to programs as much as expected. Given his popularity, he probably thought he would be in high demand, but the program side tends to avoid him out of concern that his strong ‘Restoration color’ would prevent fairness.”

People outside the Kansai region might not be very familiar with this, but figures related to the “Restoration,” such as Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura and former Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, frequently appear on Kansai local programs.

“Even just with Hashimoto and Governor Yoshimura, there are voices suggesting that Kansai TV stations are biased towards the Restoration. If Matsui were to appear as well, the Restoration color would become even stronger. That’s why Matsui probably wanted to support the independent Hagiuda, aiming to promote the message of ‘I am independent’ and ‘I am not affiliated with the Restoration Party’ (breaking away from the Restoration). Even if Hagiuda were to lose, he would have successfully made his appeal to the public” (according to the wide show source).

Hagiuda, supported by his friend Matsui, has not attended the “Political Ethics Committee” and has not fulfilled his accountability; what will his fate be?