Ken Harada (politician)

Summary

Ken Harada (原田 憲, Harada Ken, February 12, 1919 – January 29, 1997) was a member of the Diet of Japan from the Liberal Democratic Party[1] until resigning his office on January 24, 1989[2] following alleged involvement in the Recruit scandal, where Harada admitted Recruit had given him donations, in the form of seasonal summer gifts,[3] for ten years.[4] While the donations were not illegal, they raised questions of political ethics which eventually led Harada to resign.[3] As a member of the Diet, Harada served as Minister of Economic Planning, and earned the close trust of Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita.[5] He was the third minister to resign over the scandal.[2] Harada had been appointed to direct the Ministry of Economic Planning only one month before his resignation.[6][7] After party officials had already placed him as the chair of a committee in charge of investigating the Recruit stock scandal,[8] where he had concluded that nothing illegal had taken place.[9] In 1992, Harada backed Keizō Obuchi as new leader of the Liberal Democratic Party.[10] Kōichirō Aino [ja] replaced Harada as Minister of Economic Planning.[3]

Ken Harada
原田 憲
Director-General of the Economic Planning Agency
In office
27 December 1988 – 25 January 1989
Prime MinisterNoboru Takeshita
Preceded byEiichi Nakao
Succeeded byKōichirō Aino
Minister of Posts and Telecommunications
In office
25 November 1973 – 11 November 1974
Prime MinisterKakuei Tanaka
Preceded byChūji Kuno
Succeeded byToshio Kashima
Minister of Transport
In office
30 November 1968 – 14 January 1970
Prime MinisterEisaku Satō
Preceded byYasuhiro Nakasone
Succeeded byTomisaburō Hashimoto
Personal details
Born(1919-02-12)February 12, 1919
Osaka Prefecture, Japan
DiedJanuary 29, 1997(1997-01-29) (aged 77)
Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
EducationMeiji University

Scouting edit

Harada served as a member of the National Board of Governors of the Boy Scouts of Nippon and President of the Scout Parliamentary Caucus. In 1989, Harada was awarded the 200th Bronze Wolf, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting.[11][12] In 1985 he also received the highest distinction of the Scout Association of Japan, the Golden Pheasant Award.[13]

References edit

  1. ^ Vilaró (1989), 1.
  2. ^ a b Associated Press (Jan. 24, 1989), 5.
  3. ^ a b c Chira (1989).
  4. ^ Schoenberger (1989), 8.
  5. ^ United Press International (1989), 3.
  6. ^ Associated Press (Jan. 26, 1989), 5,
  7. ^ Hoshii (1993), 178.
  8. ^ Japan stock scandal (1989), 5.
  9. ^ Hartcher (1989), 9.
  10. ^ Hayes (2004), 110.
  11. ^ "List of recipients of the Bronze Wolf Award". scout.org. WOSM. Archived from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  12. ^ 出典: 日本連盟スカウティング誌(2008年3月号
  13. ^ 䝪䞊䜲䝇䜹䜴䝖日本連盟 きじ章受章者 [Recipient of the Golden Pheasant Award of the Scout Association of Japan] (PDF). Reinanzaka Scout Club (in Japanese). 2014-05-23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-08-11.

Bibliography edit

  • Associated Press (26 January 1989). "Takeshita: He'll stay, seek trust". The Register-Guard. Guard. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  • Associated Press (24 January 1989). "3rd Japan official resigns in stock scandal". Deseret News. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  • Chira, Susan (25 January 1989). "Scandal Fells Another Japanese Official". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  • Hartcher, Peter (25 January 1989). "Recruit scandal claims senior Cabinet Minister". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  • Hayes, Louis (2004). Introduction to Japanese Politics (illustrated ed.). M.E. Sharpe. ISBN 0-7656-1338-7. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  • Hoshii, Iwao (1993). Japan's Pseudo-Democracy. Routledge. ISBN 1-873410-07-7. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  • "Japan stock scandal: Third cabinet minister resigns". The Gainesville Sun. The New York Times Company. 25 January 1989. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  • Schoenberger, Karl (1 January 1989). "Fund-raising ethics". Manila Standard. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  • United Press International (13 February 1989). "More arrests made in stock scandal". Ellensburg Daily Record. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  • Vilaró, Ramón (25 January 1989). "El escándalo de Recruit se cobra otro ministro japonés: Dimite el titular de Planificación Económica". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 September 2009.

External links edit

  • 17 Bronze Wolf Recipients from Japan
  • "In Support of World Scouting" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-03-27. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
  • Full list of Japanese Bronze Wolf recipients
  • Scout Association of Japan
House of Representatives of Japan
Preceded by
Ihei Ochi
Chair, Committee on Transport of the House of Representatives
1982–1983
Succeeded by
Toshiichi Fuke
Preceded by
Shun Ōide
Chair, Committee on Discipline of the House of Representatives
1993–1996
Succeeded by
Keiwa Okuda
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Transport
1968–1970
Succeeded by
Tomisaburō Hashimoto
Preceded by
Chūji Kuno
Minister of Posts and Telecommunications
1973–1974
Succeeded by
Toshio Kashima
Preceded by Director-General of the Economic Planning Agency
1988–1989
Succeeded by
Kōichirō Aino
Party political offices
Preceded by Chair, Diet Affairs Committee of the Liberal Democratic Party
1972–1973
Succeeded by
Hajime Fukuda