Lessons for Japanese Society and Historical Background of the Lockheed Affair

Lessons for Japanese Society and Historical Background of the Lockheed Affair

### Outline of the Case
The Lockheed affair was a large-scale corruption case uncovered in 1976, stemming from allegations that the American aircraft manufacturer Lockheed Corp. offered huge bribes to Japanese political and business circles to have its aircraft adopted. The arrest of former Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka sent shockwaves throughout Japan and abroad. The case also implicated executives of the airline All Nippon Airways and the trading company Maruhachi (Marubeni Corporation).

### Historical Background
In the 1970s, Japan had completed its period of rapid economic growth and was entering a period of stable growth. As economic activity expanded, collusion and corruption in the political and business worlds became problematic. During this period, Kakuei Tanaka promoted the promotion of local economies with his "Theory of Remodeling the Japanese Archipelago" and gained support as a popular politician, but at the same time, problems related to political funds always accompanied him. In addition, the oil crisis and pollution problems were also causing anxiety throughout society.

### Incident Discovery and Development
The case came to light as a result of an investigation by the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Multinational Corporate Activities (commonly known as the Church Committee, chaired by Frank Church). The Committee revealed that Lockheed had paid bribes to government officials in several countries, including Japan. Among them was Kakuei Tanaka, who was arrested in 1976 for allegedly accepting more than 500 million yen in bribes. Also discussed was the presence of Kodama Eishio, who acted as an intermediary for All Nippon Airways executives and Marubeni Corporation. Tanaka pleaded not guilty at trial, but was convicted in 1983.

### Lessons for Japanese Society
Demands for transparency in politics increased. The Lockheed affair led to the strengthening of the Political Funds Control Law and efforts to increase transparency in political activities. It is also noteworthy that the Prime Minister at the time, Takeo Miki, promoted the "Clean Miki" policy of eliminating corruption.

In addition, distrust of politics among the public deepened, and suspicion of the existing political structure spread. As a result, factional strife intensified even within the LDP, accelerating the movement for political realignment. Furthermore, the revelation of the incident from the U.S. investigation highlighted the limitations of domestic reporting and investigation in Japan and reaffirmed the role of investigative reporting and news organizations.

### The Influence and Risks of a Common Man Politician
Kakuei Tanaka gained much support as a popular politician, but it is also true that his powerful influence contributed to his corrupt nature. Although the Tanaka faction (later the Takeshita faction) remained influential within the LDP after the incident, the incident underscored the "risks of excessive concentration of power in the hands of individuals.

### Subsequent Impact
The Lockheed affair brought about a major change in Japanese politics: since the 1980s, political reforms have been promoted and public awareness of the need for clean politics has increased. On the other hand, money politics did not completely disappear after the incident, and its effects continue to this day.

### Summary
The Lockheed affair taught a great lesson to postwar Japanese politics and society. The public began to demand greater transparency and fairness in politics, and the press and civil society reaffirmed the importance of political monitoring. At the same time, it brought about a deep reflection on the collusion and corruption within the political and business world that had been going on behind the scenes of economic growth. The change in awareness triggered by this incident continues to influence contemporary Japanese politics.