The whole of Japan had been set up in a carefully prepared trap by the U.S. and was dancing with glee.

The following is from an article by one of the very few real journalists, Mr. Rui Sasaki, published in the monthly magazine WiLL under the title of Kakuei's one word: "Kissinger killed me."
It is a must-read not only for the Japanese people but for people worldwide.
Emphasis in the text other than the headline is mine.

Preamble omitted.
Kissinger's Curse　
I wrote in the previous section that there is a whiff of a U.S. conspiracy for the following reasons.　
At the time of the oil crisis triggered by the Fourth Middle East War, Kakuei developed his resource diplomacy in opposition to the oil majors who dominated the world.
It is the reason why Kakuei stepped on the tail of the Nixon administration and became the source of the Lockheed affair (Shincho 45, July 2010 issue; former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, "Words of Kakuei and Kissinger").　
On the other hand, there is also the view that the diplomatic achievement of normalizing diplomatic relations between Japan and China ahead of the U.S. irritated the U.S. so much that the U.S. retaliated for Tanaka's ouster.　
In August 1972, just before the Japan-China summit, Kissinger, an aide to the U.S. president, said in a meeting with the U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, "Of all the dirty traitors, the Japs, of all people, took the cake" (Shogakukan, Magosaki Kyo, "Politicians Crushed by the United States"), and he was furious.　
Nakasone later said, "After Kakuei's arrest, I had a private conversation with Kissinger, who had come to Japan, and Kissinger said to me, 'The Lockheed affair was a mistake. It was a mistake. It was overkill."
He must have known the true nature of the incident.
Ishii Hajime, Commissioner of the National Land Agency, who was a close associate of Kakuei, heard Kakuei say that he was "Killed by Kissinger" (Sankei Shimbun Publishing, "False Charge" by Ishii Hajime).

*This was when Hajime Ishii was a vice representative of the Democratic Party of Japan.
In business, I was very close to a man who was a senior in age and the owner of one of the leading construction companies in Kobe.
There were several reasons for this.
I was introduced to him by a contractor who worked for our company and was invited to the president's office at his headquarters.
We hit it off from the very first meeting.
He had been a member of Hasegawa Corporation since Takehiko Hasegawa founded Hasegawa Corporation (now Haseko Corporation), and he was a man who could be said to be Takehiko's confidant.
As mentioned, I joined Hasegawa Corporation midway through my life, which led me to start my real estate business.
The following year, it was New Year's, he invited me to his home.
Like me, he was a big fan of hot springs.
He had built a mansion on the outskirts of Kobe City, dug a hot spring, and built a bathroom in his house equipped with a hot spring of the same quality as the Arima Onsen.
His mansion was in the neighborhood of a dense golf course district in the suburbs of Kobe, which I frequently visited as a golf freak at the time.
I was treated with the most excellent hospitality when I visited with a friend.
It was a truly magnificent New Year's scene, with Osechi dishes in various places.
I wished I could have spent the three days of New Year's like this.
The quality of the spring water he dug was no less than that of Arima Onsen, one of Japan's most famous hot springs.
There is nothing more luxurious than this.
When we were being served dinner, Mr. Hajime Ishii, the president of his supporters' association, showed up with his family.
Perhaps because he knew I was a good singer, he asked me to sing for Mr. Ishii.
I had to sing a few songs.
I finally left the fabulous New Year's party just in time for my friend's return.
Mr. Ishii came to see me off at the door. *　

The whole of Japan had been set up in a carefully prepared trap by the U.S. and was dancing with glee.
After the war, it was Kissinger who deceived and betrayed the Japanese people.
When Kissinger visited Japan in 2007, the writer, who was then on the political desk, once asked him at a press conference held at a hotel in Tokyo what he thought about the Lockheed affair then.
I don't remember the substance of the question because he answered without concern, but I do remember that none of the other reporters asked any questions besides the author.　
At that time, Kissinger was already a man of the distant past.　
When Kissinger died in November last year, I saw a memorial tribute praising his diplomacy between the U.S. and China. 
Still, I did not see any interesting commentary on the Lockheed affair, at least not from me.　
When he visited China in July, the same year he turned 100 years old, and met with President Xi Jinping, he was pleased to be lifted and told that "China would never forget old friends," it was indecent to see his old and ugly face on display.
This article continues.

1/25/2024 in Kyoto