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JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Horie says legal system unfairly crucifies rich and famous

Crime Apr. 03, 2009 - 06:27AM JST ( 36 )

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36 Comments

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IchyaWarFareApr. 03, 2009 - 07:57AM JST

He can disappear for a while again.
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jkoffmanApr. 03, 2009 - 07:59AM JST

Looks like he was eating well in the big house.
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Pukey2Apr. 03, 2009 - 07:59AM JST

Do you get fed a lot in prison?
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SargeApr. 03, 2009 - 08:11AM JST

I believe that prison is run by the same woman who owns that house where Hansel and Gretel stayed.
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franz75Apr. 03, 2009 - 08:35AM JST

Hey, Horie! Went you became famous, you are supposed to give an example.

Don't cheat or get the proper connections on the politic level.
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combinibentoApr. 03, 2009 - 08:43AM JST

I bet he took in the livebackdoor while in the pokey.
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onewrldonepplApr. 03, 2009 - 08:46AM JST

he he he ... he should sing his songs to folks @ AIG. they'd love to here it.
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buddha4brainsApr. 03, 2009 - 08:47AM JST

unfairly crucifies

Ok, so how does a "fair" crucifixion work.
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BeelzebubApr. 03, 2009 - 09:24AM JST

If Horie had stuck to building his business and not made such a public spectacle of himself as a corporate raider and wheeler-dealer he might not be having these problems. Instead of shamelessly promoting himself, he would have achieved more by keeping his name out of the news entirely and going around quietly bribing LDP politicians. His nickname, "Horiemon," by the way, is the name of a race horse he owned. From the looks of things, he's the rear end of that particular animal.
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bobohApr. 03, 2009 - 10:20AM JST

Sniff sniff, i feel so sorry for the rich, the poor darlings have it so tough.
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IvanCoughalotApr. 03, 2009 - 10:32AM JST

bboboh - I know. When will their sufferings ever end? Something should be done to help this most vulnerable sector of society. Forget pensioners and orphans, AIDS victims and the homeless...help the rich! If only their were some way to get some publicity for their plight. We need to raise public awareness of their suffering somehow.
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medievaltimesApr. 03, 2009 - 11:05AM JST

I know a lot of people dislike this dude but I like him. Perhaps he was guilty of a white collar crime but...I believe he was targeted and severely punished because he was a threat to the archaic business system in Japan. There are many many other business men/companies that continue to break the law but authorities look the other way because they "play by the rules".

Horie was specifically targeted because he was young, bright, different, creative, charismatic, wasn't subservient to his elders etc.

In Japanese society, the nail that sticks up will get hammered down. And this is just another example of that.
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frontandcentreApr. 03, 2009 - 11:46AM JST

He should have been rather more specific - the system here crucifies those rich and famous who refuse to play by the "rules" of 'normal' corporate malfeasance in Japan. He didn't buy off the right politicians and civil servants. Game over
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Orions3rdEyeApr. 03, 2009 - 11:59AM JST

he doesnt sound very "Humbled" to me. It sounds like he just sat in his cell thinking of excuses for himself.
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IvanCoughalotApr. 03, 2009 - 12:04PM JST

He's a bit chunky these days too, isn't he? Prison's not starving him at least.
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TPOJApr. 03, 2009 - 01:08PM JST

He should have been rather more specific - the system here crucifies those rich and famous who refuse to play by the "rules" of 'normal' corporate malfeasance in Japan. He didn't buy off the right politicians and civil servants.

Exactly. The guy's a criminal, and I don't feel bad for him, but the reason he went to jail wasn't because he was a criminal. He went to jail because he was a different type of criminal.

The right thing to do isn't to let him off the hook, but go after the similarly corrupt, but more "Japanese" criminals with the same enthusiasm.
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frontandcentreApr. 03, 2009 - 01:38PM JST

Well, I have some sympathy for him because it's clear that there are massive double standards involved here. I'm not saying he shouldn't have been punished - I'm saying that there are a hell of a lot of other people and companies that should have been punished for much greater corporate misdeeds.
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BigInJapanApr. 03, 2009 - 01:57PM JST

Well, at least he has a lot of time to write books, go the press conferences, and work on his image. It also seems, diet is not that bad in the jail: at least no problem with calories. I wish i was a prisoner in Japan, witting books, getting rich and famous...
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CoolasapoolApr. 03, 2009 - 02:08PM JST

he didnt conform to the old fuddy duddy type of Japanese businessman and got hammered for his troubles.. rock the boat in Japan and eventually you`ll be tossed out.
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timorborderApr. 03, 2009 - 02:09PM JST

Bit of both? Horie was dumb enough to put his head about the parapet, as such it was kicked. At the same time, having seen some of the financial documents that flew around when he was on top of his game, it is not that hard to recognize that LiveDoor was playing pretty loose with the truth regarding certain areas of its business.

On another note, it is interest to see Horie's popularity with the expat old boys'c club known as the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan. I suppose that irrespective of veracity of his claims, Horie's message is one that the foreign journos have a soft spot for.
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sageb1Apr. 03, 2009 - 02:24PM JST

tax Horie some more. his extravagances mean the homeless in Tokyo are starving.
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YelnatsApr. 03, 2009 - 02:31PM JST

I believed he was innocent and still do. He was looked down upon by the old established business men who cheat and bribe like crazy to stay within the old boy network.
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European1Apr. 03, 2009 - 03:34PM JST

first of all justice system here sucks, giving all power to prosecutors who can do whatever they like. This is why we have 99.9% conviction rates, even higher court overrule a case. Horie-san you were different and didnt follow the rules, but you have forgotten that you were in society which hates rich and famous first of making their own way. Im with you
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European1Apr. 03, 2009 - 03:37PM JST

“Many people have accused me of being someone who worships money,” he said. “I’m not at all interested in saving money. I’m only interested in using money to invest in my dreams.”

very good said, but my advice is: do it elsewhere not in Japan, your native country which will come for you again when you get succeed.
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lotsnotesApr. 03, 2009 - 03:45PM JST

He deserves credit for one world-first at least; causing the words "Japanese" and "entrepreneur" to appear together in the same sentence.
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DXXJPApr. 03, 2009 - 04:29PM JST

Come on he didnt get fat in jail, he actually came out pretty thin. He's been out on bail for how long now.

And I think TBS was the ones that put the screws to him.
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cuddles2009Apr. 03, 2009 - 05:25PM JST

Horie OR ishihara who would you trust.

come on team lets vote
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BBLeoApr. 03, 2009 - 06:24PM JST

This guy is talking about full of rich and famous 'S**t'. Rich and famous people should be an example to cummunity and be proud for what they are. Who make's them rich? Who is paying for their daily bread? 'PEOPLE/CUSTOMERS,and WORKERS-in simple word 'PUBLIC.' There is one law for all. But mojority of such mentioned people get away with suspended sentences. Perhaps Takafumi Horie was an example to the others. I bet him if a beggars on the streets will ask him for a yen that he will turn his head the other way.
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presto345Apr. 03, 2009 - 07:02PM JST

He looks like an arrogant b*stard to me.
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ca1ic0catApr. 03, 2009 - 09:12PM JST

No, the system crushes anybody who goes against it. "The nail that stands up gets pounded down." I thought every Japanese school child learned that one.
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usaexpatApr. 03, 2009 - 11:16PM JST

You may not like the guy but he speaks the truth. It's this way in a lot of countries, prosecutors go for the big fish as a career maker.
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onewrldonepplApr. 03, 2009 - 11:43PM JST

maybe if he hadn't inflated the value of his companies stock with bogus PR, then split the shares illegally ... the authorities would've left him alone. pure & simple, he's a criminal. the fact that he can profit from it by writing a book & living freely on the outside makes Charles Manson angry.
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buggerlugsApr. 04, 2009 - 12:31AM JST

It's not just the rich and famous the crucify, but it's the rich and famous who we hear about because their voice is heard. He's still rich and famous... who protects the weak?
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SoochiApr. 04, 2009 - 01:41AM JST

"They may eventually go to the public prosecutors office and give them information that will lead to your downfall."

"They" being law-abiding citizens, "information" being evidence of criminal activity and "downfall" being arrest, trial and conviction through the courts. Hardly kangaroo court stuff is it.
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Den DenApr. 05, 2009 - 01:03AM JST

Unless you are related to an ex-prime minister, don't mess with politics. Everyone knows that.
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jonnyboyApr. 06, 2009 - 11:41AM JST

the "problem" is that nouveaux riche are only tolerated in japan as long as they don't impinge upon the status quo. then they will get taken down by the old boys, as happened to horiemon.