Akinori Eto | |
|---|---|
江渡 聡徳 | |
 | |
| Minister of Defense | |
| In office 3 September 2014 – 24 December 2014 | |
| Prime Minister | Shinzō Abe |
| Preceded by | Itsunori Onodera |
| Succeeded by | Gen Nakatani |
| Member of the House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office 9 November 2003 | |
| In office 20 October 1996 – 25 June 2000 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 12, 1955 Towada, Aomori |
| Political party | Liberal Democratic Party |
| Alma mater | Nihon University |
| Website | Official website |
Akinori Eto (江渡 聡徳, Eto Akinori, born 1955) is a Japanese politician and the former defense minister of Japan.
Eto is a politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Towada, Aomori, he attended Nihon University as both undergraduate and graduate. He was elected for the first time in 1996 but lost his seat in the re-election four years later. He was re-elected in 2003.
Eto was a short lived Minister of Defense starting from September, when he appointed to his position due to a cabinet reshuffle but ending in December 2014. He declined continuing his post after the 2014 snap election due to being embroiled in a political funding scandal, where he and two other cabinet members was accused by opposition parties of alleged influence peddling, improper donations and/or issues in reporting on political funds. Eto denied the accusations.[1][2] Analysts say his handling of questions relating to the scandal was considered too weak and was a major reason for Abe to replace him with Gen Nakatani, who is seen as a stronger figure.[3]
Like Abe and most members of the Cabinet, he is affiliated to the openly revisionist organization Nippon Kaigi.[4]