April 26, 2023

In the background to the Kishida government policies prioritizing a huge military buildup and the promotion of nuclear power generation lies the huge donations made by corporations in the relevant industries to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Akahata reported on April 26 based on the 2021 Political Funds Report released by the Internal Affairs Ministry.

According to the ministry data, in the arms industry, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and other 11 major firms which have procurement contracts with the Defense Ministry made donations totaling more than 166 million yen to the LDP’s political fund management body, the People’s Political Association.

The Defense Ministry on April 11 announced that it awarded Mitsubishi Heavy Industries a contract to develop a long-range missile capable of being launched from Maritime Self-Defense Force submarines. The ministry will spend 58.4 billion yen in tax money to conduct this project as part of the government policy seeking Japan’s possession of enemy base strike capabilities.

Mitsubishi in 2021 donated 33 million yen to the LDP’s fund management body and received contracts worth about 46 billion yen from the Defense Ministry.

The Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, Inc. (JAIF), consisting of electricity providers and nuclear power-related companies, enthusiastically welcomes the Kishida government policy sticking to the promotion of nuclear power generation.

The Internal Affairs ministry data showed that JAIF member companies, including Hitachi, Ltd. and Nippon Steel Corporation, in 2021 donated nearly 638 million yen in total to the LDP. For example, Hitachi, which engages in R&D of an innovative water reactor, and Nippon Steel, which supplies steel materials needed to construct nuclear power plants, made a contribution of 40 million yen and 27 million yen, respectively.

Past related article:
> Arms industry makes \166.2 million in political donations to LDP [January 10, 2023]