noun
politically connected businessman; businessman with political ties
Refers to a merchant or entrepreneur who leverages close relationships with politicians or government officials to gain business advantages, often with a slightly negative connotation of cronyism.
彼は政商として、政府の大型公共事業を次々と受注した。
As a politically connected businessman, he won one large government public works contract after another.
その政商は政治家
That businessman with political ties was known for making large donations to politicians.
Compound of 政 (government, politics) and 商 (commerce, merchant). The term emerged in the Meiji period to describe merchants who gained special privileges through close ties with government leaders.