Govt tells judo body to ‘reform or else’
The Yomiuri Shimbun
All Japan Judo Federation President Haruki Uemura, center, bows as he receives a written recommendation to reform the federation from Tomomi Inada, state minister in charge of administrative reform, left, at the Cabinet Office on Tuesday.
Hiroyuki Shimoyama and Kazuari Hirayama / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff WritersReform, or face the consequences. That was essentially the “ultimatum” issued to the All Japan Judo Federation by the Cabinet Office on Tuesday. But for federation President Haruki Uemura, the recommendation is the equivalent of a government request to step down from his post.
Even so, it seems Uemura has remained oblivious to the seriousness of the problem, saying, “I’d like to consider various things when it comes to enacting reform.”
Shuichi Takano, secretary general of the Cabinet Office’s Public Interest Corporation Commission, the panel responsible for authorizing such corporations, did not bother hiding his irritation with Uemura on Tuesday, saying, “You should clarify who is responsible for [the scandals] and how you plan to take responsibility.”
At the root of the series of scandals involving the federation is a huge gap in perception between the federation’s top management staffers and the general public.
The rare recommendation from the government means the federation’s status as a public interest corporation is now being called into question. The Cabinet Office criticized the lack of awareness among federation executives, including Uemura, saying, “The federation could not exercise self-discipline as a public corporation through the appropriate use of its authority.” In other words, the government has called for the federation to reform itself through Uemura’s early resignation, as the Cabinet Office believes it is impossible for judo's governing body to improve itself without some form of self-purification.
According to the recommendation, the federation must enact reforms by the end of August. However, Uemura has insisted that he will leave the organization in October, once he has paved the way for reform. “I’m working hard to protect judo. I want [the public] to watch who [he or the government] is right,” Uemura said, effectively rejecting the government’s demand for his immediate resignation.
Even if Uemura promotes reform under the current administration, the federation will most likely have its authorization as a public interest corporation revoked if the government’s requirements are not met.
On this point, however, Uemura said: “If the government says ‘No’ to us, that’s it. We’ll do our best to avoid such a situation.” But strong doubt remains as to whether Uemura fully understands the intent of the Cabinet Office’s recommendation.
In March, a third-party panel submitted a final report on the investigation into the alleged physical abuse of judoka on the national team by a former head coach. The report was critical of judo’s governing body, saying, “The federation does not function as an organization.”
Despite such criticism, Uemura shirked any responsibility regarding the scandal, saying, “It’s my job to implement the contents of the report.”
“We’ll be firmly united in handling such difficulties,” said Honorary President Yukimitsu Kano at a board of directors meeting held after the final report was issued, effectively quashing any arguments for Uemura’s resignation.
Flippant attitude
Another third-party body investigating the judo federation’s alleged misappropriation of Japan Sports Council subsidies criticized the organization as “lacking a law-abiding spirit” in its interim report on the issue.
According to sources, Uemura took the criticism hard, leading him to express his intention to step down as the federation’s head. At the time, he said, “I’d like to clarify [my retirement] sometime soon.” It was the first time that Uemura had mentioned retiring from the position.
However, Uemura had apparently changed his mind before the panel released its final report. He stressed his role as a “liaison” with key overseas judo figures when Marius Vizer, president of the International Judo Federation, threw his support behind Uemura when visiting Japan in June.
“The federation has been marred by various problems ranging from violence and subsidy misappropriations to sexual harassment. And Uemura and other executives have been involved,” said Toru Yamashita, chairman of the Cabinet Office’s Public Interest Corporation Commission. “The situation is quite serious. It’s highly questionable whether the federation will be able to restore public trust through voluntary efforts.”
The commission has recommended the federation take steps to improve its organizational governance, the first such recommendation issued under the current law.
The federation reportedly issued three written requests to the third-party panel investigating the issue to revise its interim report on the subsidy misappropriations. Referring to this, a senior commission member said: “Even though [the federation] was rather reluctant to take complaints from judoka seriously, does it really want to convey the words of its employees [to the panel] as they are?”
The federation’s lack of self-discipline apparently prompted the Cabinet Office to issue the recommendation.
Even so, it seems Uemura has remained oblivious to the seriousness of the problem, saying, “I’d like to consider various things when it comes to enacting reform.”
Shuichi Takano, secretary general of the Cabinet Office’s Public Interest Corporation Commission, the panel responsible for authorizing such corporations, did not bother hiding his irritation with Uemura on Tuesday, saying, “You should clarify who is responsible for [the scandals] and how you plan to take responsibility.”
At the root of the series of scandals involving the federation is a huge gap in perception between the federation’s top management staffers and the general public.
The rare recommendation from the government means the federation’s status as a public interest corporation is now being called into question. The Cabinet Office criticized the lack of awareness among federation executives, including Uemura, saying, “The federation could not exercise self-discipline as a public corporation through the appropriate use of its authority.” In other words, the government has called for the federation to reform itself through Uemura’s early resignation, as the Cabinet Office believes it is impossible for judo's governing body to improve itself without some form of self-purification.
According to the recommendation, the federation must enact reforms by the end of August. However, Uemura has insisted that he will leave the organization in October, once he has paved the way for reform. “I’m working hard to protect judo. I want [the public] to watch who [he or the government] is right,” Uemura said, effectively rejecting the government’s demand for his immediate resignation.
Even if Uemura promotes reform under the current administration, the federation will most likely have its authorization as a public interest corporation revoked if the government’s requirements are not met.
On this point, however, Uemura said: “If the government says ‘No’ to us, that’s it. We’ll do our best to avoid such a situation.” But strong doubt remains as to whether Uemura fully understands the intent of the Cabinet Office’s recommendation.
In March, a third-party panel submitted a final report on the investigation into the alleged physical abuse of judoka on the national team by a former head coach. The report was critical of judo’s governing body, saying, “The federation does not function as an organization.”
Despite such criticism, Uemura shirked any responsibility regarding the scandal, saying, “It’s my job to implement the contents of the report.”
“We’ll be firmly united in handling such difficulties,” said Honorary President Yukimitsu Kano at a board of directors meeting held after the final report was issued, effectively quashing any arguments for Uemura’s resignation.
Flippant attitude
Another third-party body investigating the judo federation’s alleged misappropriation of Japan Sports Council subsidies criticized the organization as “lacking a law-abiding spirit” in its interim report on the issue.
According to sources, Uemura took the criticism hard, leading him to express his intention to step down as the federation’s head. At the time, he said, “I’d like to clarify [my retirement] sometime soon.” It was the first time that Uemura had mentioned retiring from the position.
However, Uemura had apparently changed his mind before the panel released its final report. He stressed his role as a “liaison” with key overseas judo figures when Marius Vizer, president of the International Judo Federation, threw his support behind Uemura when visiting Japan in June.
“The federation has been marred by various problems ranging from violence and subsidy misappropriations to sexual harassment. And Uemura and other executives have been involved,” said Toru Yamashita, chairman of the Cabinet Office’s Public Interest Corporation Commission. “The situation is quite serious. It’s highly questionable whether the federation will be able to restore public trust through voluntary efforts.”
The commission has recommended the federation take steps to improve its organizational governance, the first such recommendation issued under the current law.
The federation reportedly issued three written requests to the third-party panel investigating the issue to revise its interim report on the subsidy misappropriations. Referring to this, a senior commission member said: “Even though [the federation] was rather reluctant to take complaints from judoka seriously, does it really want to convey the words of its employees [to the panel] as they are?”
The federation’s lack of self-discipline apparently prompted the Cabinet Office to issue the recommendation.
Compensation needed
One problem indicative of the federation’s lack of self-discipline is its repayment of the 60.55 million yen in misappropriated subsidies from the Japan Sports Council.
Even if the sum is repaid from the federation’s budget, the recommendation contends that “the federation should consider demanding compensation from the executive members involved, according to the degree of responsibility each has in the matter.”
The third-party panel that investigated the subsidy issue said Kazuro Yoshimura, the federation’s former head of the athlete support committee, a panel for training top athletes, was most at fault as he was the central figure in deciding which coach trained which athelete. Yoshimura is now retired from judo’s governing body.
The federation is also being closely scrutinized over how it will try to make up for the loss.
One problem indicative of the federation’s lack of self-discipline is its repayment of the 60.55 million yen in misappropriated subsidies from the Japan Sports Council.
Even if the sum is repaid from the federation’s budget, the recommendation contends that “the federation should consider demanding compensation from the executive members involved, according to the degree of responsibility each has in the matter.”
The third-party panel that investigated the subsidy issue said Kazuro Yoshimura, the federation’s former head of the athlete support committee, a panel for training top athletes, was most at fault as he was the central figure in deciding which coach trained which athelete. Yoshimura is now retired from judo’s governing body.
The federation is also being closely scrutinized over how it will try to make up for the loss.