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Hirokazu Matsuno

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Hirokazu Matsuno
松野 博一
Official portrait, 2021
Chief Cabinet Secretary
In office
4 October 2021 – 14 December 2023
Prime MinisterFumio Kishida
Preceded byKatsunobu Katō
Succeeded byYoshimasa Hayashi[1]
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
In office
3 August 2016 – 3 August 2017
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
Preceded byHiroshi Hase
Succeeded byYoshimasa Hayashi
Personal details
Born (1962-09-13) 13 September 1962 (age 62)
Kisarazu, Japan
Political partyLiberal Democratic Party
Alma materWaseda University

Hirokazu Matsuno (松野 博一, Matsuno Hirokazu, born September 13, 1962) is a Japanese politician who served as the Chief Cabinet Secretary from October 2021 until December 2023.[2] He is serving in the House of Representatives as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.[3]

Matsuno does not believe that the 1923 Kantō Massacre occurred,[4][5] and does not believe that the World War II era comfort women were forced to labor.[6]

Career

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A native of Kisarazu, Chiba and graduate of Waseda University, Matsuno originally wanted to work in the film industry but instead took a job in advertising at Lion Corporation.[7] He was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2000 after an unsuccessful run in 1996.

In the August 3, 2016 reshuffle, Matsuno joined the Shinzō Abe cabinet as Minister of education. Matsuno became the Chief Cabinet Secretary in the Cabinet of Japan under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.This role’s responsibilities include overseeing general affairs that pertain to the Cabinet and Security Council of Japan, as well as the collection of information concerning the important policies of the cabinet, as well as others.

Matsuno held three other ministry head positions simultaneously whilst being the Chief Cabinet Secretary for the Kishida Cabinet. Matsuno’s additional positions included the Minister in charge of promoting vaccinations, the Minister in Charge of Mitigating the Impact of U.S. forces in Okinawa, and the Minister in charge of the abduction issue. During his time as the Minister in Charge of Mitigating the Impact of U.S. forces in Okinawa, Matsuno visited the Sakishima Islands within the Okinawa prefecture in preparation for the worst in July 2023. There, Matsuno discussed and agreed with local governments on the need for more defense planning and infrastructure, such as the need for shelters and the upgrading of airport and seaport functions for evacuations. Matsuno is the first Chief Cabinet Secretary ever to visit the Sakishima Islands. In his occupation of the position of the Minister in Charge of the Abduction Issue, He addressed the United Nations Online Symposium on July 29, 2023, regarding the issue.

Matsuno was one of several cabinet ministers who resigned from their posts in December 2023 amid allegations of a slush fund involving members of the LDP.[8]

Controversy

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Affiliated to the openly revisionist lobby Nippon Kaigi,[9] along with most members of the Abe cabinet, Matsuno denies the existence of the Imperial Japan sex slavery system known under the euphemism 'Comfort women',[6] and in 2014 demanded the revision of the Kono and Murayama statements, considered as landmark declarations from Japanese governments towards the recognition of war crimes.[10]

Matsuno is also a member of the following right-wing Diet groups:[9]

  • Conference of parliamentarians on the Shinto Association of Spiritual Leadership (神道政治連盟国会議員懇談会 - Shinto Seiji Renmei Kokkai Giin Kondankai) - NB: SAS a.k.a. Sinseiren, Shinto Political League
  • Japan Rebirth (創生「日本」- Sosei Nippon)

Matsuno has expressed doubt that the 1923 Kantō Massacre occurred.[4][5] In a 2023 press conference, he stated that there was insufficient evidence for the event, directly contradicting a 2009 expert panel of the government's Central Disaster Management Council. Matsuno disavowed the conclusions found by that panel.[4][5]

Slush fund scandal

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Main article: 2023–2024 Japanese slush fund scandal

In November 2023 Japanese prosecutors began voluntarily questioning members of several factions of the LDP, including the largest faction of which Matsuno was a member, on suspicion of receiving slush fund money in the form of revenues from fundraising parties totaling over ¥100 million that had not been reported in political funding statements.[11][12] On December 8, 2023, it was reported that Matsuno allegedly failed to declare over ¥10 million in income over the previous five years.[12] The following day, multiple news outlets reported that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was preparing to replace Matsuno as Chief Cabinet Secretary.[13][14] On December 12 the lower house, of which the LDP holds a majority, voted down a motion of no confidence against Matsuno that had been put forward by the opposing Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.[15] Matsuno submitted his resignation from the cabinet on December 14, 2023, along with several other LDP officials.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Embattled Japan PM Kishida ousts LDP's most powerful faction from Cabinet".
  2. ^ Lies, Elaine (2021-10-03). "Many faces in Japan's new government belong to allies of PM Abe". Reuters.
  3. ^ 政治家情報 〜松野 博一. JANJAN ザ･選挙 (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2007-12-03. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
  4. ^ a b c "VOX POPULI: Government turning blind eye to 1923 massacre of Koreans is vile". The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  5. ^ a b c "Don't turn away from the Kanto massacre". Korea JoongAng Daily. 2023-09-03. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  6. ^ a b "Hawkish education chief Matsuno to uphold government line on ‘comfort women’" - Japan Times - August 18, 2016
  7. ^ Okuyama, Miki (2021-12-29). "How unknown Hirokazu Matsuno became PM Kishida's right-hand man". Nikkei Asia.
  8. ^ a b "Japan PM Kishida to replace 4 Cabinet ministers amid funds scandal". Kyodo News. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  9. ^ a b Yoshifumi Tawara - "日本会議の全貌、花伝社" Kadensha, 2016
  10. ^ "Cabinet profile, EDUCATION, CULTURE, SPORTS,SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MINISTER Hirokazu Matsuno" (Japan Times 2016)
  11. ^ "Japan PM Kishida grilled over party revenue underreporting claims". Kyodo News. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  12. ^ a b "Top spokesman accused of not reporting 10 mil. yen in income: source". Kyodo News. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Japan's prime minister to replace chief cabinet secretary-report". Reuters. 9 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  14. ^ "PM Kishida to sack gov't spokesman Matsuno amid funds scandal: sources". Kyodo News. 9 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  15. ^ "Kishida likely to replace 4 ministers on Dec. 14 amid fundraising scandal". Kyodo News. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.

External links[1][2][3][4][5]

[edit]
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
2016–2017 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Cabinet Secretary
2021–2023 		Succeeded by
  1. ^ "MATSUNO Hirokazu (The Cabinet)". Prime Minister's Office of Japan. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  2. ^ Keynote remarks by mr. Matsuno Hirokazu, chief cabinet secretary and Minister in charge of the abduction issue, at the online symposium in the UN on the abductions issue. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. (2023, June 29). https://www.un.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/matsuno062923.html
  3. ^ "With Eyes on Taiwan, Okinawan Islands Seek Shelter". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  4. ^ "Japan prepares for an evacuation scenario involving residents on remote islands". The Japan Times. 2023-07-24. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  5. ^ "Cabinet". japan.kantei.go.jp. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
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