2016/01/30
Yesterday’s Sankei Shimbun mentioned China’s short-message posting site “Sina Weibo” for the first time in a while.
The reference appeared in a small boxed article on page 3 covering reactions from various countries to Minister Amari’s resignation.
“Beijing, Seoul, London—Kyodo”
China’s state-run media outlet, Xinhua News Agency (English edition), reported breaking news on the 28th that Akira Amari, minister in charge of economic revitalization, had announced his resignation.
It also mentioned his responsibility for negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the issue of cash payments.
China Central Television and other outlets also reported the story alongside footage of the press conference, showing considerable interest.
Meanwhile, on the short-message posting site “Sina Weibo,” a succession of sarcastic comments appeared, including “He resigns over corruption involving one million yen,” “In China, even much larger sums would not become an issue. Is this a difference in national circumstances?” and “Chinese people are shameless and brazen, but Japanese people have too strong a sense of shame.”
South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported, “A cabinet minister close to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has resigned in disgrace over allegations of wrongdoing, and the administration is believed to have suffered a blow.”
I will omit the final part.
If we assume that this affair was orchestrated by the Chinese and South Korean CIAs, then reading the above article describing their reactions would make this, too, a reality straight out of a thriller.
Japan is such a haven for spies that such speculation cannot be dismissed as entirely impossible or unrealistic.
Above all, since Japan, unlike many countries around the world, has no CIA, it would be no exaggeration to say that spies from various countries can do whatever they please.