Toshikatsu Matsuoka
Encyclopedia
was a Japan
ese politician
. He served as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
from September 26, 2006 under the Abe
cabinet
. He committed suicide
in 2007 in the middle of a financial scandal.
, Kyūshū
. His family managed a farm. After graduating from high school in Kumamoto city
, he joined Tottori University
in Tottori Prefecture
and studied agricultural science
. He graduated in 1969 and joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
.
In 1990 he resigned as the spokesman of the Forestry Agency and ran for the Kumamoto first constituency in the parliamentary election. He won this election and later joined the Liberal Democratic Party
(LDP).
in LDP. Kamei was one of the fiercest opponents of the postal privatisation bills proposed by then prime minister Junichiro Koizumi
, and Kamei and most of his faction defected from the LDP in 2005. Matsuoka stood with Koizumi, and after the general election he was appointed as a member of the special committee for the privatisation of the postal system.
In 2006 new prime minister Abe Shinzo appointed Matsuoka as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
. He worked on some political issues such as Free Trade Agreements with Australia
and the beef import problem
with the United States
. Matsuoka received much attention when he announced a plan to make certifications for Japanese food
restaurants outside Japan. He got this idea from the Denominazione di origine controllata
system in Italy
and hoped that this might distinguish pseudo-Japanese food restaurants from genuine ones. Many foreign media criticized this system as inappropriate, and named the system "sushi police." He retracted his plan and made a more moderate proposal.
yen ($236,600, £118,300). Matsuoka had previously apologized for failing to declare political donations.
He reported over 5 million yen ($48,000 USD) for utility expenses in 2005. This expense was questioned by the press, since Matsuoka had a very small office. However, Matsuoka said that it had been paid for purified water, explaining that people rarely drink tap water. On May 28, 2007, hours before facing questioning in the Diet
(parliament), he committed suicide
by hanging
in his Tokyo
apartment and died in Keio University hospital
in Tokyo
. Norihiko Akagi
was appointed his successor on June 1 after provisional Minister Masatoshi Wakabayashi
.
Matsuoka's Vice Minister, Taku Yamamoto
, said on June 20 that Matsuoka had used the money on Asakusa
geisha
, Japanese press reported, but Yamamoto retracted his comments the next day, saying it was only a joke
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He served as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan)
The , or , is the Cabinet of Japan member in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The current minister is Michihiko Kano.-Role:...
from September 26, 2006 under the Abe
Shinzo Abe
was the 90th Prime Minister of Japan, elected by a special session of the National Diet on 26 September 2006. He was Japan's youngest post–World War II prime minister and the first born after the war. Abe served as prime minister for nearly twelve months, before resigning on 12 September 2007...
cabinet
Cabinet of Japan
The of Japan is the executive branch of the government of Japan. It consists of the Prime Minister and up to fourteen other members, called Ministers of State. The Prime Minister is designated by the Diet, and the remaining ministers are appointed and dismissed by the Prime Minister...
. He committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in 2007 in the middle of a financial scandal.
Biography
He was born in Aso, KumamotoAso, Kumamoto
is a city located in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.The city was formed on February 11, 2005 from the merger of the former town of Aso with the town of Ichinomiya, and the village of Namino, all from Aso District....
, Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
. His family managed a farm. After graduating from high school in Kumamoto city
Kumamoto, Kumamoto
is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Greater Kumamoto has a population of 1,460,000, as of the 2000 census...
, he joined Tottori University
Tottori University
, abbreviated to , is a national university in Japan. The main campus is located in Koyama-cho-Minami, Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture. Another campus is in Yonago, Tottori.- History :...
in Tottori Prefecture
Tottori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region. The capital is the city of Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan.- History :Before the Meiji Restoration, Tottori encompassed the old provinces of Hōki and Inaba...
and studied agricultural science
Agricultural science
Agricultural science is a broad multidisciplinary field that encompasses the parts of exact, natural, economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. -Agriculture and agricultural science:The two terms are often confused...
. He graduated in 1969 and joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan)
The ' a cabinet ministry in the government of Japan responsible for oversight of the agriculture, forestry and fishing industries. Its acronym is MAFF.-History:...
.
In 1990 he resigned as the spokesman of the Forestry Agency and ran for the Kumamoto first constituency in the parliamentary election. He won this election and later joined the Liberal Democratic Party
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
The , frequently abbreviated to LDP or , is a centre-right political party in Japan. It is one of the most consistently successful political parties in the democratic world. The LDP ruled almost continuously for nearly 54 years from its founding in 1955 until its defeat in the 2009 election...
(LDP).
Political career
Matsuoka had been a member of the political faction headed by Shizuka KameiShizuka Kamei
is a Japanese politician.-Early life:He was born in the city of Shōbara in Hiroshima Prefecture into a poor family. He studied at the department of economics at University of Tokyo and worked his way through school through various jobs, including singing at a cabaret.Upon graduation in 1960, he...
in LDP. Kamei was one of the fiercest opponents of the postal privatisation bills proposed by then prime minister Junichiro Koizumi
Junichiro Koizumi
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006. He retired from politics when his term in parliament ended.Widely seen as a maverick leader of the Liberal Democratic Party , he became known as an economic reformer, focusing on Japan's government debt and the...
, and Kamei and most of his faction defected from the LDP in 2005. Matsuoka stood with Koizumi, and after the general election he was appointed as a member of the special committee for the privatisation of the postal system.
In 2006 new prime minister Abe Shinzo appointed Matsuoka as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan)
The , or , is the Cabinet of Japan member in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The current minister is Michihiko Kano.-Role:...
. He worked on some political issues such as Free Trade Agreements with Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the beef import problem
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy , commonly known as mad-cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of...
with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Matsuoka received much attention when he announced a plan to make certifications for Japanese food
Japanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine has developed over the centuries as a result of many political and social changes throughout Japan. The cuisine eventually changed with the advent of the Medieval age which ushered in a shedding of elitism with the age of shogun rule...
restaurants outside Japan. He got this idea from the Denominazione di origine controllata
Denominazione di Origine Controllata
Denominazione di origine controllata is a quality assurance label for food products, especially wines and various formaggi . It is modelled after the French AOC...
system in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and hoped that this might distinguish pseudo-Japanese food restaurants from genuine ones. Many foreign media criticized this system as inappropriate, and named the system "sushi police." He retracted his plan and made a more moderate proposal.
Inquiry and death
Prior to his death, he faced questions over high utility expenses in a rent-free office - he had claimed more than 28 millionMillion
One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106...
yen ($236,600, £118,300). Matsuoka had previously apologized for failing to declare political donations.
He reported over 5 million yen ($48,000 USD) for utility expenses in 2005. This expense was questioned by the press, since Matsuoka had a very small office. However, Matsuoka said that it had been paid for purified water, explaining that people rarely drink tap water. On May 28, 2007, hours before facing questioning in the Diet
Diet of Japan
The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
(parliament), he committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
in his Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
apartment and died in Keio University hospital
Keio University
,abbreviated as Keio or Keidai , is a Japanese university located in Minato, Tokyo. It is known as the oldest institute of higher education in Japan. Founder Fukuzawa Yukichi originally established it as a school for Western studies in 1858 in Edo . It has eleven campuses in Tokyo and Kanagawa...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Norihiko Akagi
Norihiko Akagi
is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet .A native of Makabe District, Ibaraki and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he worked at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from 1983 to 1988...
was appointed his successor on June 1 after provisional Minister Masatoshi Wakabayashi
Masatoshi Wakabayashi
is a Japanese politician who is a member of Liberal Democratic Party.Wakabayashi became the third Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries appointed in Shinzō Abe's first cabinet after Toshikatsu Matsuoka killed himself as a result of financial scandal and Matsuoka's successor Norihiko Akagi...
.
Matsuoka's Vice Minister, Taku Yamamoto
Taku Yamamoto
is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet . A native of Sabae, Fukui and graduate of Hosei University, he was elected to the first of his two terms in the assembly of Fukui Prefecture in 1983 and then to the House of...
, said on June 20 that Matsuoka had used the money on Asakusa
Asakusa
is a district in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan, most famous for the Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals.- History :...
geisha
Geisha
, Geiko or Geigi are traditional, female Japanese entertainers whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance.-Terms:...
, Japanese press reported, but Yamamoto retracted his comments the next day, saying it was only a joke
Joke
A joke is a phrase or a paragraph with a humorous twist. It can be in many different forms, such as a question or short story. To achieve this end, jokes may employ irony, sarcasm, word play and other devices...
.