Akinori Eto

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Akinori Eto

|native_name = {{nobold|江渡聡徳}}

|native_name_lang = ja

|image = Akinori Eto.jpg

|caption = Eto in 2013

|office = Minister of Defense

|primeminister = Shinzo Abe

|term_start = 3 September 2014

|term_end = 24 December 2014

|predecessor = Itsunori Onodera

|successor = Gen Nakatani

|office1 = Member of the House of Representatives

|constituency1 = Aomori 2nd (2003–2017)
Tohoku PR (2017–2021), (2024–present)
Aomori 1st (2021–2024)

|term_start1 = 9 November 2003

|term_end1 =

|predecessor1 = Shingo Mimura

|successor1 =

|constituency2 = Aomori 2nd

|term_start2 = 20 October 1996

|term_end2 = 25 June 2000

|predecessor2 = Constituency established

|successor2 = Shingo Mimura

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|10|12|df=y}}

|birth_place = Towada, Aomori, Japan

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Liberal Democratic

|alma_mater = Nihon University

|website = [http://www.eto-akinori.jp Official website]

}}

{{Nihongo|Akinori Eto|江渡聡徳|Eto Akinori|born 1955}} is a Japanese politician and the former defense minister of Japan.

Overview

File:Akinori Eto and Ashton Carter 20130317 2.jpg (March 17, 2013)]]

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.{{Cite news|date=2014-10-21|title=Japan PM's woes may not end despite resignations of two ministers|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-politics-idUSKCN0IA0XA20141021|access-date=2021-10-10}}{{Cite news|date=2014-12-24|title=Shinzo Abe re-elected as Japan's prime minister|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30595376|access-date=2021-10-10}} 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.{{Cite web|title=Japan parliament re-elects Abe as prime minister|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/12/24/japan-re-elects-abe/20848345/|access-date=2021-10-10|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US}}

Like Abe and most members of the Cabinet, he is affiliated with the openly revisionist organization Nippon Kaigi."[http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2994558 Abe’s reshuffle promotes right-wingers" (Korea Joongang Daily - 2014/09/05)]

Footnotes

References

{{cite news|url=http://www.senkyo.janjan.jp/diet/profile/0000/00000014.html|script-title=ja:政治家情報〜江渡聡徳〜|newspaper=JANJAN|accessdate=2007-10-20|language=Japanese|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071203093537/http://www.senkyo.janjan.jp/diet/profile/0000/00000014.html|archivedate=3 December 2007 |url-status=live}}