Vice-Defense Minister Moriya -- a Crook?

Sometimes I don't quite get the Japanese. They're extraordinarily pragmatic about most issues-- excellent problem solvers -- but they get hung up about the wierdest things. Case in point: Our latest corruption scandal is bringing the current government to a standstill.

The longtime defense minister is friends with a defense contractor. Over the course of several years, the contractor takes the minister golfing twice a year. No exchange of cash, no promises either made or implied, no influence pedaling outside of the fact that these guys are friends. Now, golf in Japan is expensive; if the minister were to pay for the exclusive club membership, the hotels, etc., it would put him back a total of 35 grand over several years. But the contractor has a membership to the club and invites the minister along as a guest, so the contractor ISN'T ACTUALLY PAYING MUCH, if anything.

The disconnect for me really comes in light of seeing how people entertain one another here in Tokyo. In the US, you'd typically invite friends to your home for a dinner, a party, or simply to watch the game or visit. Here, among both gaijin and Japanese alike, it is very common for people to spend large amounts taking friends to restaurants or activities outside the home. For any number of cultural and, well, space reasons, it is very rare for Japanese to invite people to their homes.

The whole entertaining culture is focused outward, rather than inward. And entertaining is very important here; its part of the social fabric. Typically, the host pays. The guest reciprocates with an equivalent invitation at a later date. Friends and acquaintances have invited us to parties (many better Tokyo restaurants or clubs have separate party or meeting rooms), invitations to amusement parks, shows, concerts, and countless restaurants. In return, we've taken others to Tokyo Disney, movies, dinners, and other activities. It is rather rare for people not to entertain and be entertained. While the whole enterprise costs a heap, everybody entertains everybody else and it pretty much all works out in the end, cost-wise.

Which brings us back to our hapless, now-arrested Defense Minister Moriya. His offenses seem lightweight by comparison to US bribery and influence pedaling cases. Yes, by accepting gifts he would be outside the parameters of good government even in the US. But in the context of Japanese entertaining conventions, he just doesn't seem that corrupt to me. Censure the guy, get him to say "Oops, I made an error in judgment"(preferably in Japanese), let him pay back what he accepted. Then move on. But no, in Japan the full weight of the law falls upon this guy. He's been stripped of position, jailed, and awaits criminal trial. All over 2 golf outings a year with his buddy.

So I'd like to know: am I too soft on government-ruining corruption, or is the machinery of state just a little out-of-whack here? Maybe it simply boils down to the fact that partisan politics gets ugly; parties will use the machinery of state to pillory their opponents.