Corrupt Postal Privatization 2

<>News from Tokyo

Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Kunio Hatoyama said Tuesday evening at an improptu press conference after attending a dinner party of the members of Diet from Kyushu(one of the Japan's main islands),he will seek a reconsideration by Japan Post Holdings Co of its plan to sell all 70 “Kampo-no-Yado” resort and spa facilities in Japan to a subsidiary real estate company of the major leasing company Orix Corp. Hatoyama told reporters at a Tokyo hotel that the sale “may be seen as a race whose result has already been decided” because Orix Chairman Yoshihiko Miyauchi had been involved in the government’s plan to privatize Japan Post. Mr Miyauchi has been known as a czar of free market and Mr. Deregulation because he chaired for long time the Koizumi governments Deregulation committees.

’’I want Japan Post to give it a second thought,’’ Hatoyama said. ‘‘I’m not sure about hastily selling them (the facilities) in the current financial and economic situation. I also question why they will be sold in a lump (to one entity). It is difficult for people to understand.’’ On Dec 26, Japan Post Holdings Co said it had decided to transfer the 70 resort facilities to Orix by spinning off the Kampo-no-Yado, or Kampo Inn, business to a company it will set up on April 1 and selling the new firm to the leasing firm. The timing of the news release reportedly might have been done intentionally to avoid the attention of the law makers who left the Tokyo metropolitan area to go back to their home district.

On January 8th, two days after the Minister's press disclosure, the Japan Post disclosed at the strong request of the Ministry, the amount of the sale of the resort facilities amounting about ten billion yen , probably far below the market price.

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