Japan's Top TPP Negotiator Resigns After It's Alleged He Accepted Bribes

from the this-is-reaching-cartoon-evil-levels dept

Over in Japan, there's been a big political scandal brewing over the last few days, leading the country's economy minister Akira Amari to resign amid charges that he received significant bribes from a construction company. What makes that relevant to us here is that Amari was also Japan's leading negotiator on the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, and his resignation and the bribery charges are raising additional (and fairly serious) questions about whether or not Japan really should support the TPP. So far, the bribery that's been discussed does not appear to directly impact that TPP, but it at least raises other questions about whether or not the TPP itself was compromised by similar corruption (of course, some may argue that the entire process, in which big companies basically helped write the thing, is itself corrupt). Amari had been expected to travel to New Zealand in the next few days for the TPP signing ceremony, but obviously someone else will now have to go.

Japan's role in the TPP has always been somewhat controversial. It was late to join the effort, and there has been a lot of fear within the country, which has kept up some protectionist trade policies for quite some time, some of which the TPP would force them to remove. As I've said, I actually think the TPP's efforts to remove actual tariff barriers should be applauded, but it's the majority of the rest of the agreement that's so troubling -- including things that seem actually the opposite of free trade, like increasing protectionist intellectual property laws. Indeed, Japan was often one of the most aggressive in pushing for stricter copyright and patent rules within the TPP. And now we have to wonder if that was actually done because Japan believed it was in its best interests, or if other, perhaps more corrupt factors played a part.

The signing ceremony is just the beginning of the process, of course. The ratification by various countries is the big fight. Amari's resignation and the related scandal now increase the chances that Japan may not be ready to approve the TPP, and that could put the entire agreement at risk.
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Filed Under: akira amari, corruption, japan, tpp


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  1. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 29 Jan 2016 @ 11:01am

    O really?

    Everyone of them took bribes, that is just the cost of doing Politics these days.

    Anyone even remotely dumb enough to do not see ALL of the back scratching, bribery, kickbacks, revolving doors, and reaching across the isle or borders... shit what am I saying, this is pretty much everyone!

    Ladies and Germs... we see right before our very eyes the construction of the "New World Order".

    This is nothing like the UN or LON. It places power right where the "money interests" need it to be!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 29 Jan 2016 @ 1:16pm

    is there any other way that shit deals like this, deals that spread ISA law around the globe, deals that up copyright protection and punishments to the most ridiculous levels, as were amended time and again in the USA and then spread out, deals that are 'negotiated' in secret because the content is so bad, deals that persecute the ordinary public because they do something that has become second nature simply because those who control those somethings totally ignore the public because what they are protecting, according to them, is the only thing worth saving on that whole world, how else could this crap be agreed to be done?? anyone who thinks this Jap is the only one, needs to seriously think again!!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 29 Jan 2016 @ 3:33pm

    No surprise there. Those who are morally lacking enough to be willing to negotiate such anti-democratic treaties are also morally low enough to accept bribes. Just goes to show you what kinds of people IP defenders are (at least those defending the current system and pushing to extend and expand IP laws).

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    Victoria Mendez, 29 Jan 2016 @ 6:36pm

    TPP the FTA from Hell or actually from WS.

    An historical perspective to the TPP:
    http://one-just-world.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-tpp-ttip-ftas-economic-sovereignty.html
    Is there a conspiracy behind the TPP/TTIP:
    http://one-just-world.blogspot.com/2016/01/understanding-judaism-and-its-followers.html
    Who is pushing for the TPP and why:
    http://one-just-world.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-jews-in-power-jwo-already.html

    To fully appreciate the complex problem the TPP poses read all three articles before passing judgement.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    David, 30 Jan 2016 @ 3:30am

    Why shouldn't he take bribes?

    He is supposed to make decisions that are good for the established economy. So in order to have a sound understanding of big finances, he needs to be filthy rich.

    The bribes just ensure that he is qualified for and interested in making decisions benefitting big money.

    It's his training wheels. It's love of economics 101.

    How many bills am I holding up here, Winston, I mean, Amari?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jan 2016 @ 10:52am

    I know that our legislators will use the TPP the same way they do the Constitution, to clean their soiled gluteal folds in the Capitol Rotunda restrooms. Why not just call it TP?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    BrainDustBunny, 30 Jan 2016 @ 3:00pm

    Don't let Treason become a Virus

    Welp Born 63' I used to have a bright opinion of Japan, I love the people, I love the culture, I love the Bonsai, and Martial Arts, and Spiritual Lessons, what I don't love is their government, I don't claim to be an expert as they are older than I but, I know right from wrong myself, and when it comes to the MONETARY SYSTEM, and DEFENSE I say Japan is riding on the razors edge of really getting slapped hard for picking a fight. I hope it ain't China VS US (who in fairness has it's OWN similar /worse problems.)

    Back to Japan though.

    With Fukushima and the Resulting Coverup that country is a LOST CAUSE. To work there, You'd need to point your GUN at me.

    Meanwhile Regarding this neo- no redress, flagrant corrupt, insolent, oath breaking US leadership, after people start getting harmed it's Called TREASON here. And perhaps with TWO popped bubbles in this Century, this time people won't be a wonderin' if it was just STUPID people running the electronic voting machines, and they won't CARE why their paper gold is 500:1. They'll know, it's EXACTLY the way this MAFIA wants it.

    One tends to remember they took that OATH when turning your head to TREASON IS TREASON. You BECOME IT.

    a nasty pandora's box lesson

    only good news is it's a SMALL part of the population who are with these psychos -- we just need to have the BALLS and man up. WATCH OREGON. right.

    AND...
    pray our leaders get their heads out of their asses soon.

    Nullify laws if you get called to Jury duty.

    Never visit a Doctor without a Second person to Watch your BACK!!!! Obamacare is taking away 2nd amendment - Psychiatrists are political quacks who destroy lives, not DOCTORS. Psychiatry is NOT A SCIENCE it's a FALSE SCIENCE!

    And keep your health up, the water, food and air is trying to kill us. It's NOT PARANOIA.

    I don't care if I am not perfect. I ALMOST DIED.
    So now you know why I talk like I do.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    David E.H. Smith, 31 Jan 2016 @ 12:00am

    TPP & other Treaties/’Arrangements’; Corporate ‘America’s’ Desperate ‘Extortion’?

    TPP. CETA & other Treaties/’Arrangements’; Corporate ‘America’s’ Desperate ‘Extortion’; Join in U.S. Increasing Avaricious $17+ trillion Debts to harmless taxpayers, or, Scorched Earth, Global Depression? Harmless U.S. taxpayers wait for the ‘shoe’ to drop as ‘Debts’ comes home to ‘Roost’?

    TPP, et al, base for future changes for Global Corporate Economy; your tax dollars to fund their enterprises & value of shares with No Corp. Liabilities & for their future considerations…

    Is ‘The Submission’ to The Supreme Court of Canada, et al, ‘unnecessarily’ delaying the TPP, CETA, et al?

    * What happened to new Canadian PM Trudeau’s (Corporate Canada East) promise to read, understand, share his understanding of TPP with consultation & questions from the taxpayers? Have Trudeau & Freeland read the TPP?

    * Should Politicians Have to Sully Their ‘Beliefs’ & Sales Pitches with ‘Sordid’ Facts that Come from Actually Reading & Understanding Global Treaties/’Arrangements’? Just the Facts; ‘We’, The People can Draw our Own Conclusions? Unless they’ve been paid via ‘future considerations’…
    2 Republican Senators Admit that They Have read the TPP.
    Congress/Parliaments; Deluded, or, Deluding; 'IGNORAMUS et IGNORABIMUS' (I do not know & I will Not Know)?
    ‘Quis custodiet ipsos custodies’? (Who Will Guard the Guards?)

    * TPP Costs harmless Taxpayers. Why not make Global Corporate Partners pay for ‘Privilege’ of joining TPP, et al & Corporations pay TPP Tribunal’s punitive penalties NOT the harmless taxpayers?

    * Do ‘We’ want ‘Good Corporate Citizens’, or, more of Corporate Global assocs. to Punish the harmless taxpayers & complete the Info Deprivation?

    * After New Zealand’s PM admitted that medicines will cost more, have the citizens of New Zealand & other TPP nations also noticed similar moves like Canadian Prime Minister Harper below? ‘To help pay for the harmless taxpayers ‘guilty transgressions’ against Global Corporations in Canada, Prime Minister Harper has recently cut the funding for health care by $36 billion dollars’. (please see article below)

    * TPP & the other Global Corporate Treaties/’Arrangements; it’s just a huge Shift of Liabilities from Corporations to the harmless lil’ guy and taking Huge amounts from the lil’ guy via Punitive Penalties ‘giving’ it to Shareholders as ‘Profits’; Tort Reform on Steroids is Tort Abolishment.

    * There is a great deal more to the ‘Foreign’ Treaties/’Arrangements’ (TPP, CETA, TTIP, et al), than Tobacco Carve-out, Piggy-backing Autos & Parts from China to N. America &/or the EU via Japan, Gouging Drug Prices, Fish, IP, Privatizing Public Health Care, Dairy products & Pork;
    Why didn’t Someone Tell me that the Punitive Penalties of the TPP’s Tribunals would come off the Top of Signatory Governments’ Budgets & Not the Bottom after All other Expenditures? Corporations & Shareholders First and the lil’ guy gets left overs, if any.

    * Guaranteeing the Net Tax Gains for the Voters with Global Corporate Assets Defeats the Purpose of the Global Corporate Treaties/’Arrangements’; ie. it’s like playing the ‘Shell’/Shill Game without Hiding the Pea.

    • Can Piggy-backing 80% of products from China, BRICS, et al, on to Canadian products exported to the U.S. really lower the taxes of Canadian citizens by 7% if Corporate Canada increases our Taxes (Global Corporate Tribunal Penalties) by 2- 12%+?

    • Canada’s Remorseless Prime Minister (Pay for The WAD Accord's
    Compensations, etc.) & Depriving Citizens, et al, of Due Diligence Info?

    • How long have Global Corporate Associates been ‘Passing’ Legislation in
    Anticipation of Suing Once Ratified? ‘Trickle’ Up & Out Economics.

    • Corporate America, after its 2008 ‘Tactical Probe’ into Deregulation & Its Sub sequential Buying Short on its Global Recession, is Anxious for Its Legitimized & Globalized (TPP/TTIP/CETA) ‘Full Invasion’; HSBC’s money laundering, Enron’s insider trading, Chase Bank’s fraud, etc. Corporate Canada & its Traditional Big 3 Political Parties are desperate to increase its play time under the ‘skirts’ of Corporate U.S. in the International Glitter Game.

    • But, will the lil' guy get 6 years to read, consider, discuss & improve upon (with lawyers paid by Global Corporate Assocs.)?

    ***
    FULL Article, see; davidehsmith.wordpress.com
    ***
    Also see; Excerpts from
    'The Submission' to The SUPREME COURT of CANADA: ‘The SHAREHOLDERS & Corporations of AMERICA, China, Canada, the EU, the Trans Pacific nations, et al
    v.
    the (harmless) Canadian NON shareholders, both; Native & non Native, et al’
    including
    'The MERKEL (Chancellor of Germany) Letter; To Sue, or, Be Sued?'
    (see; davidehsmith.wordpress.com)
    ***
    For the FULL ‘Submission’, see; The SUPREME COURT of CANADA
    ***
    Please consider sharing the enclosed information & questions with 10 friends who will share it with 10 others...
    ***
    Also See; ‘You Should have Known’; President Bush re; Corporate ‘America’ reneging on FTA at davidehsmith.wordpress.com

    link to this | view in thread ]


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