From: hiraga@Csli.Stanford.EDU (Yuzuru Hiraga)
Subject: Re: America doesn't have a clue: (was DOES AMERICA SAY YES TO JAPAN? - Off track!!)
Organization: Stanford University CSLI
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 08:19:04 GMT


# newsgroups limited to soc.culture.japan

In article <1992Dec30.163947.1554@island.COM> fester@island.COM (Mike Fester) writes:
>In article <1992Dec30.011051.23413@Csli.Stanford.EDU> hiraga@Csli.Stanford.EDU (Yuzuru Hiraga) writes:
>>"In jail" means in custody.
>He was held in Saitama, in prison. Don't remember how long.

He was held in Kosuge prison (Tokyo) after arrest, for a twenty days
or so period during the investigation.  This is what I mean by
"(taken in) custody".  So yes, physically he was in jail, but not in
the sense of serving a sentence (during that period).
Since most (all?) of the investigation took place in the Tokyo
prosecution dept., there is no reason for him to be held in
Saitama (but see below).

BTW: Kosuge prison can be seen on the Jouban trains between Kitasenjuu
and Kameari stations (and there is also a near-by station on the Keisei-line).
Speaking of prisons, the Sunshine-60 in Ikebukuro was formerly the site
of the Sugamo prison, where the class-A war criminals of WWII were held
there during the Tokyo Trials.

>>But even if so, he would serve about a 4-year sentence at most.
>
>Probably "suspended for 5". Not a criticism (except in this one case), merely
>pointing out that, especially for non-violent crimes, Japanese sentences are
>routinely held in abeyance, if the criminal behaves himself.

But in his case (as I recall), the lower court rule(s) did not grant
any probation.  In that case, he will be imprisoned immediately
after the judgment(but where?), though for a short time, until he filed
an appeal suit and paid the ransom...er... bail.
On the other hand, had there been a probation, then he would be set free
even if ruled guilty.

>Ah, but he WAS the most powerful man in Parliament for years after having been
>forced to resign, ...

True.
The difference is that had he served the sentence, then he might have been
regarded as "sanctioned" and proceeded on a more "normal" political activity.
At the present, he does not have an LDP membership (of course, in reality,
this may not mean much).

[About his involvement with the construction of Narita Airport]
>The land grab by Tanaka and his friends in the LDP, just prior to the 
>announcement of a new airport, the reaction of the people in the area when they
>found out, Tanaka's hard-line stance, the hard-line stance of the opposition,
>etc. If your point was that it was not entirely Tanaka's fault, yeah, you're
>right. 

It is (highly) probable that Tanaka & Co. have speculated on the Narita
real estate.  However, this is not the reason for the delay and confrontation
at Narita.  The main reason is that the farmers at Sanrizuka refused
to give up their land; of which the poor briefing and lack of negotiative
moves on the authorities' part is mainly to blame, but also in part the
general mentality of farmers, having strong affection and persistence
for their land.
The situation became hopelessly complicated when the left-wing radicals
(like Kakumaru and Chuukaku) joined on the farmers' side.
But this is a long story.

-Yuzuru Hiraga