"I believe that politicians, who have long been dependent on MOF officials in their decision-making, will use the current heat to boost their power, " says Kobayashi Yoshiaki, a political scientist at Keio University.

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The governor's future was last month thrown into doubt by his admission that he had put money into the controversial investment funds of Yoshiaki Murakami, who was arrested on June 5th for alleged insider trading.

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And spare a thought for Yoshiaki Tsutsumi.

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Male climbers Yoshiaki Kato, 64, and Tamao Suzuki, 63, and female climbers Masako Suda, 50, and Michiko Suzuki, 56, of the Miyagi Workers Alpine Federation expedition are all presumed to have died in the avalanche, the park service said.

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