LDP punishes 39 members over funds scandal

LDP punishes 39 members over funds scandal

Hiroshige Seko, former Liberal Democratic Party secretary general in the House of Councillors, meets the press in Tokyo on April 4, 2024, after the ruling party's disciplinary committee announced punishments for 39 members over a political funds scandal. Seko was advised to leave the party, the second-severest penalty among the party's eight levels of punitive steps following expulsion.

LDP punishes 39 members over funds scandal

LDP punishes 39 members over funds scandal

Hiroshige Seko, former Liberal Democratic Party secretary general in the House of Councillors, meets the press in Tokyo on April 4, 2024, after the ruling party's disciplinary committee announced punishments for 39 members over a political funds scandal. Seko was advised to leave the party, the second-severest penalty among the party's eight levels of punitive steps following expulsion.

LDP punishes 39 members over funds scandal

LDP punishes 39 members over funds scandal

Hiroshige Seko, former Liberal Democratic Party secretary general in the House of Councillors, bows during a press conference in Tokyo on April 4, 2024, after the ruling party's disciplinary committee announced punishments for 39 members over a political funds scandal. Seko was advised to leave the party, the second-severest penalty among the party's eight levels of punitive steps following expulsion.

Japan parliament ethics panel on funds scandal

Japan parliament ethics panel on funds scandal

Hiroshige Seko, former Liberal Democratic Party secretary general in the House of Councillors, attends a session of the upper house ethics committee on March 14, 2024 in Tokyo over a political funds scandal that has rocked the Japanese ruling party.

Japan parliament ethics panel on funds scandal

Japan parliament ethics panel on funds scandal

Hiroshige Seko, former Liberal Democratic Party secretary general in the House of Councillors, attends a session of the upper house ethics committee on March 14, 2024 in Tokyo over a political funds scandal that has rocked the Japanese ruling party.

Japan parliament ethics panel on funds scandal

Japan parliament ethics panel on funds scandal

Hiroshige Seko, former Liberal Democratic Party secretary general in the House of Councillors, attends a session of the upper house ethics committee on March 14, 2024 in Tokyo over a political funds scandal that has rocked the Japanese ruling party.

Japan parliament ethics panel on funds scandal

Japan parliament ethics panel on funds scandal

Hiroshige Seko, former Liberal Democratic Party secretary general in the House of Councillors, attends a session of the upper house ethics committee on March 14, 2024 in Tokyo over a political funds scandal that has rocked the Japanese ruling party.

Japan parliament ethics panel on funds scandal

Japan parliament ethics panel on funds scandal

Hiroshige Seko, former Liberal Democratic Party secretary general in the House of Councillors, attends a session of the upper house ethics committee on March 14, 2024 in Tokyo over a political funds scandal that has rocked the Japanese ruling party.

Japan parliament ethics panel on funds scandal

Japan parliament ethics panel on funds scandal

Hiroshige Seko, former Liberal Democratic Party secretary general in the House of Councillors, attends a session of the upper house ethics committee on March 14, 2024 in Tokyo over a political funds scandal that has rocked the Japanese ruling party.

Seko, secretary general of LDP in upper house

Seko, secretary general of LDP in upper house

Japanese lawmaker Hiroshige Seko speaks to reporters at the Diet building on Dec. 14, 2023, after submitting his resignation as secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party in the House of Councillors in response to a political fundraising scandal involving LDP lawmakers, including Seko, belonging to its largest faction previously led by slain Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Japan-Taiwan talks

Japan-Taiwan talks

Japanese lawmaker Hiroshige Seko (L), the upper house secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, speaks during a meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei on Dec. 28, 2022.

CORRECTED: Japan-Taiwan talks

CORRECTED: Japan-Taiwan talks

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (R) speaks during a meeting with Japanese lawmaker Hiroshige Seko, the upper house secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, in Taipei on Dec. 28, 2022.

Japan, U.S. businesses chiefs meet in Tokyo

Japan, U.S. businesses chiefs meet in Tokyo

TOKYO, Japan, April 18 Kyodo - Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko (R) and his U.S. counterpart, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, meet in Tokyo on April 18, 2017.

U.S. trade deficit review won't affect Japan: trade minister

U.S. trade deficit review won't affect Japan: trade minister

TOKYO, April 4 Kyodo - Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on April 4, 2017. Seko said that U.S. President Donald Trump's order to review the causes of U.S. trade deficits is unlikely to affect commerce between the two countries.

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seko Meets 6 reps to UN

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seko Meets 6 reps to UN

TOKYO, Japan - Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko (R) meets with six permanent representatives to the United Nations, including Frantisek Ruzicka (3rd from L) of Slovakia, at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on May 26, 2014.

Russian economic development minister in Tokyo

Russian economic development minister in Tokyo

Russian Economic Development Minister Alexey Ulyukaev (L) and Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko (R) hold talks at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on July 19, 2016. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Russian economic development minister in Tokyo

Russian economic development minister in Tokyo

Russian Economic Development Minister Alexey Ulyukaev attends a meeting with Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on July 19, 2016. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Russian economic development minister in Tokyo

Russian economic development minister in Tokyo

Russian Economic Development Minister Alexey Ulyukaev (L) and Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko shake hands prior to their talks at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on July 19, 2016. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Chinese naval ship briefly enters Japan's territorial waters: gov't

Chinese naval ship briefly enters Japan's territorial waters: gov't

Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko holds a press conference in Tokyo on June 15, 2016. Seko said Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft spotted a Chinese navy ship sailing in Japan's territorial waters to the west of Kuchinoerabu Island at around 3:30 a.m. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Tokyo, Moscow vow to cooperate in developing Russian Far East

Tokyo, Moscow vow to cooperate in developing Russian Far East

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko (forefront on R side) meets with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev (far L) in Tokyo on May 16, 2016. The two sides agreed to promote bilateral economic cooperation in developing the Russian Far East. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

G-20 meeting on trade and digital

G-20 meeting on trade and digital

Japanese industry and trade minister Hiroshige Seko (L) speaks during a two-day Group of 20 meeting on trade and digital economy that began in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on June 8, 2019. Next to him is Japanese Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Masatoshi Ishida. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

ASEAN-Japan trade ministers meeting

ASEAN-Japan trade ministers meeting

Photo shows Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko waiting for the start of the ASEAN-Japan trade ministers meeting in Singapore on Aug. 30, 2018. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan PM Abe to visit Russia on May 26: Russian deputy PM

Japan PM Abe to visit Russia on May 26: Russian deputy PM

Combined file photo shows Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets told Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko on March 24, 2018 that Abe is expected to visit Russia on May 26. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan PM expected to visit Russia in April: Russian minister

Japan PM expected to visit Russia in April: Russian minister

Undated combined photo shows Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, meeting with Japan's trade minister Hiroshige Seko in Moscow on Jan. 11, 2017, referred to plans by Abe to visit Russia twice in the coming months, in April and September. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan to create ministerial role for economic ties with Russia

Japan to create ministerial role for economic ties with Russia

Undated photo shows Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko. A government source said on Sept. 1, 2016, that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to create a new ministerial role to oversee Japan's anticipated economic cooperation with Russia and Seko will be appointed to the role concurrently in the near future. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japanese, Russian economic ministers in Osaka

Japanese, Russian economic ministers in Osaka

Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko (L) and Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Oreshkin shake hands in Osaka on March 24, 2018. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan, UAE ministers

Japan, UAE ministers

Hiroshige Seko (R), Japanese minister of economy, trade and industry, and Sultan Al Jaber, United Arab Emirates' minister of state, shake hands in Tokyo on Feb. 1, 2018. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

2nd panel meeting on TEPCO reform

2nd panel meeting on TEPCO reform

Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko (front) addresses the second meeting of an expert panel on reforms of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. in Tokyo on Oct. 25, 2016. The panel aims to promote discussions over costly plans for scrapping the utility's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and reforming its management. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

RCEP meeting in Beijing

RCEP meeting in Beijing

Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko meets the media on Aug. 3, 2019, as ministers from 16 Asia-Pacific countries hold talks in Beijing to negotiate the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan-Thai meeting in Beijing

Japan-Thai meeting in Beijing

Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko (R) and his Thai counterpart Jurin Laksanawisit (2nd from L) hold talks in Beijing on Aug. 3, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan-Thai meeting in Beijing

Japan-Thai meeting in Beijing

Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko (L) and his Thai counterpart Jurin Laksanawisit shake hands ahead of their talks in Beijing on Aug. 3, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan's revocation of S. Korea's preferential trade status

Japan's revocation of S. Korea's preferential trade status

Japanese trade minister Hiroshige Seko speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on Aug. 2, 2019, after Japan's Cabinet approved plans to revoke South Korea's preferential status as a trade partner from Aug. 28 amid a bitter diplomatic row between the two countries. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Strained Japan-S. Korea relations

Strained Japan-S. Korea relations

Japanese trade minister Hiroshige Seko speaks to reporters in Tokyo on July 31, 2019. Japan plans to remove South Korea from its list of countries allowed under preferential arrangements to buy products that could be diverted for military use. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Strained Japan-S. Korea relations

Strained Japan-S. Korea relations

Japanese trade minister Hiroshige Seko speaks to reporters in Tokyo on July 31, 2019. Japan plans to remove South Korea from its list of countries allowed under preferential arrangements to buy products that could be diverted for military use. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan industry minister Seko

Japan industry minister Seko

Japanese industry minister Hiroshige Seko speaks to reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on July 16, 2019. Seko defended Japan's decision to place restrictions on high-tech exports to South Korea, saying South Korean President Moon Jae In's criticism of the measure is "off the mark." (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan industry minister Seko

Japan industry minister Seko

Japanese industry minister Hiroshige Seko speaks to reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on July 16, 2019. Seko defended Japan's decision to place restrictions on high-tech exports to South Korea, saying South Korean President Moon Jae In's criticism of the measure is "off the mark." (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japanese ship among tankers targeted near Strait of Hormuz

Japanese ship among tankers targeted near Strait of Hormuz

Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko meets the press in Tokyo on June 13, 2019, after two tankers, including one operated by a Japanese shipping firm, were targeted near the Strait of Hormuz earlier in the day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan-France talks

Japan-France talks

Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko (R) and his French counterpart Bruno Le Maire shake hands in Tokyo on June 10, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

G-20 ministers' talks on trade and digital economy

G-20 ministers' talks on trade and digital economy

(From L) Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, trade minister Hiroshige Seko and communications minister Masatoshi Ishida hold a press conference after a ministerial meeting of Group of 20 major economies on trade and the digital economy in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture on June 9. 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

G-20 ministers' talks on trade and digital economy

G-20 ministers' talks on trade and digital economy

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono (R) and trade minister Hiroshige Seko attend a ministerial meeting of Group of 20 major economies on trade and the digital economy in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture on June 9. 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

G-20 ministers' talks on trade and digital economy

G-20 ministers' talks on trade and digital economy

(From R) Japanese communications minister Masatoshi Ishida, trade minister Hiroshige Seko and Foreign Minister Taro Kono hold a press conference after attending a ministerial meeting of Group of 20 major economies on trade and the digital economy in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture on June 8. 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

G-20 meeting on trade and digital

G-20 meeting on trade and digital

Japanese Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Masatoshi Ishida (R) speaks during a two-day Group of 20 meeting on trade and digital economy that began in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, on June 8, 2019. Next to him is Japanese industry and trade minister Hiroshige Seko. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

G-20 meeting on environment and energy

G-20 meeting on environment and energy

Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko speaks during the final day of a two-day Group of 20 meeting on environment and energy in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, on June 16, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

G-20 meeting of energy, environment chiefs

G-20 meeting of energy, environment chiefs

Japan's industry minister Hiroshige Seko speaks in a meeting of energy and environment ministers from the Group of 20 economies on June 15, 2019, in Karuizawa, central Japan. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

G-20 meeting of energy, environment chiefs

G-20 meeting of energy, environment chiefs

Japan's industry minister Hiroshige Seko speaks in a meeting of energy and environment ministers from the Group of 20 economies on June 15, 2019, in Karuizawa, central Japan. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

G-20 meeting of energy, environment chiefs

G-20 meeting of energy, environment chiefs

Japan's industry minister Hiroshige Seko (C) and environment minister Yoshiaki Harada (R) attend a meeting of energy and environment ministers from the Group of 20 economies in Karuizawa, central Japan, on June 15, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

G-20 meeting of energy, environment chiefs

G-20 meeting of energy, environment chiefs

Japan's industry minister Hiroshige Seko (L) and environment minister Yoshiaki Harada (R) attend a meeting of energy and environment ministers from the Group of 20 economies in Karuizawa, central Japan, on June 15, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

G-20 meeting of energy, environment chiefs

G-20 meeting of energy, environment chiefs

Japan's industry minister Hiroshige Seko (L) and environment minister Yoshiaki Harada (R) attend a meeting of energy and environment ministers from the Group of 20 economies in Karuizawa, central Japan, on June 15, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan-France talks on Nissan-Renault alliance

Japan-France talks on Nissan-Renault alliance

Hiroshige Seko (L), Japan's minister of economy, trade and industry, and French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire shake hands in Paris on May 22, 2019. They talked about the Nissan-Renault automobile alliance. (Pool photo)(Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Israel PM Netanyahu, Japan's economy minister

Israel PM Netanyahu, Japan's economy minister

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Center R) shakes hands with Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Jan. 15, 2019. (Pool photo) (Kyodo) ==Kyodo