The Journalist (新聞記者)

Matsuda of Touto News.

The public's attention has been drawn by recent rumors

of an incumbent minister receiving payments

in return for doing favors for a certain construction company.

Keep your questions brief.

The minister contends that his secretary did it.

Are you sure it wasn't done on the minister's orders?

Please get to the point.

The prime minister cannot avoid being held indirectly responsible.

What is the government's position on this?

That is for the prime minister to decide.

FREEDOM OF PRESS DETERIORATES JAPAN RANKED 72ND, LOWEST IN G7

Report, position A.

Passengers are leaving soon.

TERMINAL 2, NARITA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Suspect has just left the gate.

Suspect passing position C now.

Matsuda of Touto News.

I'd like to ask another question related to corruption in politics.

It was recently revealed

there was a misuse of funds from the 2011 Earthquake Recovery Package.

Keep your questions brief.

PLANS FOR EISHIN ACADEMY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (TBC)

What do you think?

FINANCE BUREAU DIRECTOR-GENERAL'S OFFICE MINISTRY OF FINANCE

EISHIN ACADEMY EDUCATIONAL CORPORATION

LECTURE AND TOUR BY FIRST LADY

The First Lady's thoughts?

She'd like it to go ahead officially.

She knows the waste issue still hasn't been resolved.

But she says herself that the size and suitability of the site is perfect.

I'll need some time.

I'll run this past the Chubu Local Finance Bureau.

Director-General, please have a look at this.

SHINICHI MURAKAMI

What's this?

Please consider it a priority for your office.

DEDUCTION OF APPROXIMATELY 1.222 BILLION YEN

Surely, this deduction is far too much.

It's the prime minister's wish.

Suspect soon arriving at the target location.

-Yes? -The arrest of Toyoda was called off.

What?

It was reported that large contributions were paid

by a corporation that benefited from the project.

What is the government's response?

That is currently under investigation.

The next question will be the last.

Matsuda of Touto News.

What? Why now?

At any rate, do as you're ordered. Understand?

-We're moving in. -Wait.

-The arrest was called off. -Why? He'll get away!

How should I know? The brass said to let him go.

Let him go? This is a ten-billion-yen fraud case!

I appreciate your cooperation.

Matsuda of Touto News.

So I can assume that the results of the investigation will be made public?

Rather than just releasing information favorable to the government,

I'd like to see impartial information released.

This press conference is not for you to air your opinions.

I'm back.

-Welcome back. -Welcome back.

-Thanks. -Ryo.

-Yes? -Look at this.

Another case of corruption.

They said he took bribes.

-Oh, I see. -Is that any way to react?

You'll start job hunting soon, you know.

Start showing some interest in social issues.

The future depends on you guys, the young people.

Give me a break. That's asking too much.

Asking too much?

You've at least got to read the paper.

Not a single young person nowadays reads the paper.

We've got smartphones.

That's the trouble with young people nowadays.

Don't be ridiculous.

You can do anything with smartphones nowadays.

Exactly.

-Right? -What?

-See? -I'm back.

-Hi. -Welcome back.

-Good morning. -Can you believe this, Mayu?

Ryo doesn't read the paper even though he works here.

Really?

What? You read it?

You'd better believe it.

How can you deliver it every day and not be interested in it?

But nobody I know reads it.

Who cares what other people do?

It's a waste of time to deliver newspapers without knowing what's in them.

Well put!

-Be more like Mayu. -That was a nice scolding.

-I'm leaving. -Are you mad, Ryo?

No, I'm not.

-Here. Have a tangerine. -Thank you.

-Are you mad? -No, I'm not mad. Bye.

Don't get mad.

DUBIOUS DOCUMENTS UNPROVEN EXISTENCE

SHINJIRO TOYODA

SHINJIRO TOYODA REVEALS PM'S PRIVATE TRUE NATURE

SHINPO AGENCY HEAD OFFICE

Mr. Toyoda. Anna Matsuda of Touto News.

May I have a moment?

You again?

I told you I have nothing more to say.

The allegations haven't been cleared.

As a special advisor to the Cabinet,

you were deeply involved in AI tech development, weren't you?

The Ministry of Economy provided unusually large subsidies for it.

Were you aware of this?

There's even a report that an arrest warrant has been issued.

Answer me.

When will you stop covering dead stories?

You shouldn't let feelings affect your work.

-Good morning. -Good morning.

CITY DESK, TOUTO NEWS

-Ms. Matsuda. Good morning. -Good morning.

Ms. Matsuda, did you read the local news in the Maicho?

Not yet. Is something there?

This was there.

"Public land sold cheap. Links to PM?"

FIRST LADY NAMED HONORARY PRINCIPAL

Everyone. Gather round.

-You read the Maicho article, right? -Yes.

This here. It became an issue because the Chubu Local Finance Bureau

didn't disclose the price that this public land was sold at.

This means that public land that had gone unsold for ages

was sold for a discount at the direction of the First Lady?

-Right. -Usually, it's unheard of to sell

at one-tenth the appraised value. Why did they do that?

Obviously, they'd sell it at one-tenth the price.

What?

PUBLIC LAND SOLD CHEAP LINKS TO PM?

They're friends.

We'll pursue this story too. Matsuda, you'll do it, right?

I'm still working on the Toyoda fraud case.

I'd like you to take a break from that for a while.

No point in pursuing an unpublishable story.

Sato and Yashiro, you assist.

I'm counting on you. Got it?

-Yes, sir. -Got it.

If this turns out to be true, that's a huge breach of trust.

I mean, what are they even building a school for?

Since it's obviously a cover-up, how will they explain it away?

They've got people who will handle it for them.

Come in.

Excuse me.

-Murakami. -Yes?

This Eishin Academy affair…

Were you the one who instructed the Ministry of Finance?

Yes.

OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE PRIME MINISTER

This has created some trouble.

This is sure to cause the press and opposition to pressure us.

-I'm sorry. -No. It's not your fault.

You were only doing what you were told.

However,

this is sure to become a thorn in the side of this administration.

What's important is to make sure this doesn't become a bigger issue.

Yes, I understand that.

I'll contact the Ministry of Finance too.

If the press happen to ask you anything about it, don't talk to them.

I won't.

Excuse me.

NAGOYA, AICHI PREFECTURE

MAIN OFFICE, CHUBU LOCAL FINANCE BUREAU

I'm Kazuya Suzuki. I was assigned here starting today.

Before, I worked with Supervisor Kurosaki at the Shizuoka Local Finance Office.

I will make use of my experience to fulfill my duties

here at the Chubu Local Finance Bureau.

He's a hard-working and talented guy. Give him a warm welcome.

-Yes, sir. -Nice to meet you.

They're all pretty busy.

-Sorry about this. -It's okay. I understand the situation.

Your wife must have been shocked at the sudden transfer.

A bit. But she was happy when she heard about the benefits.

I see.

Let me give you a quick tour.

Okay.

-Sato. -Yes?

Can you make a list of the relevant departments

at the Chubu Local Finance Bureau?

Sure thing.

I guess being so close to the action, you have unique insights.

That's true.

I really doubt that anyone else could reveal as much as me.

What's with this guy anyway?

He's an exec at a PR firm and a special advisor to the Cabinet.

I wonder what he's scheming.

THE DEEP SECRETS OF THE AI FRAUD A BEHIND-THE-SCENES POLITICAL BROKER

CASE CLOSED BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN UNANSWERED

-He probably wants to be a politician. -I see.

Ms. Matsuda, you've been chasing that guy for a long time, haven't you?

You know him?

What?

No.

Really?

I sure hope you get to the bottom