The main thrust of the Liberal Democratic Party funding scandal came to a virtual close when prosecutors dropped the case last month — but the turmoil is still ongoing.
To many observers, the seemingly endless succession of scandals in politics, business, entertainment and other arenas may appear marginal — if amusing — but I argue that these events reveal a great deal about the society that produces them. What, then, can we learn from the funding scandal that ripped through the ruling party and will it have a lasting impact on Japanese politics?
I theorize that whistleblowers are motivated by either political, moral or financial reasons. In the LDP funding scandal, the primary whistleblower, law professor Hiroshi Kamiwaki from Kobe Gakuin University, was clearly driven by morals. Another whistleblower, who leaked the scoop to the Asahi Shimbun one week after Kamiwaki spoke out, was likely motivated by political goals.