Akinori Eto

Akinori Eto
江渡 聡徳
Eto in 2013
Minister of Defense
In office
3 September 2014 – 24 December 2014
Prime MinisterShinzo Abe
Preceded byItsunori Onodera
Succeeded byGen Nakatani
Member of the House of Representatives
Assumed office
9 November 2003
Preceded byShingo Mimura
ConstituencyAomori 2nd (2003–2017)
Tohoku PR (2017–2021), (2024–present)
Aomori 1st (2021–2024)
In office
20 October 1996 – 25 June 2000
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byShingo Mimura
ConstituencyAomori 2nd
Personal details
Born (1955-10-12) 12 October 1955
Towada, Aomori, Japan
Political partyLiberal Democratic
Alma materNihon University
WebsiteOfficial website

Akinori Eto (江渡 聡徳, Eto Akinori; born 1955) is a Japanese politician and the former defense minister of Japan.

Overview

Eto is a politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Towada, Aomori, he attended Nihon University as both undergraduate and graduate. He was elected for the first time in 1996 but lost his seat in the re-election four years later. He was re-elected in 2003.

Eto was a short lived Minister of Defense starting from September, when he was appointed to his position due to a cabinet reshuffle but ending in December 2014. He declined continuing his post after the 2014 snap election due to being embroiled in a political funding scandal, where he and two other cabinet members was accused by opposition parties of alleged influence peddling, improper donations and/or issues in reporting on political funds. Eto denied the accusations.[1][2] Analysts say his handling of questions relating to the scandal was considered too weak and was a major reason for Abe to replace him with Gen Nakatani, who is seen as a stronger figure.[3]

Like Abe and most members of the Cabinet, he is affiliated with the openly revisionist organization Nippon Kaigi.[4]

Footnotes

  1. ^ "Japan PM's woes may not end despite resignations of two ministers". Reuters. 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  2. ^ "Shinzo Abe re-elected as Japan's prime minister". BBC News. 2014-12-24. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  3. ^ "Japan parliament re-elects Abe as prime minister". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  4. ^ "Abe’s reshuffle promotes right-wingers" (Korea Joongang Daily - 2014/09/05)

References