15 postal service officials arrested for election law violation

Police have arrested 15 officials of the Kinki Regional Bureau of Postal
Services (covering western Japan, including Kyoto and Osaka) on charges of
violation of the Public Offices Election Law.

The arrested officials were supporters of Koso Kenji, former director of
the regional bureau, who was elected to the House of Councilors on the
Liberal Democratic Party's list.

The suspects were allegedly using their positions in the postal services
organizations to ask voters to vote for candidate Koso.

In Japan, government employees are prohibited from participating in
election campaigns.

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on August 27
demanded that the LDP investigate into the scandal and have Upper House
Member Koso resign immediately.

Akahata's editorial of August 30 said:

"The present scandal shows clearly how the LDP is organizing election
campaigns illegally using companies and public interest organizations. It
endangers the very foundation of the election, which must embody the
principle of parliamentary democracy. The LDP should make public the truth
about the fraud allegations and apologize to the people. The responsibility
of the prime minister as head of the LDP is great." (end)