Foreign ministry employees are dissatisfied with ministry settlement on
'secret money'

Most Foreign Ministry officials are critical of the ministry's way of
settling the issue of "secret money" pooled at each of the ministry
departments, sections, and agencies abroad.

The ministry on November 30 published a report on the result of its own
survey on the "secret money" issue, hoping to put an end to the
investigations into its own suspicions. But this is aimed at hushing up the
disclosed "secret fund" issue involving the Foreign Ministry and the Cabinet
Secretary, said Akahata of December 4.

The "pooled money" reached nearly 200 million yen, of which 160 million
yen, already spent, the ministry ordered executives with ranks higher than
assistant section chief to pay back. Only two non-carriers quit in this
case.

A ministry official testified to Akahata that in a report a House of
Representatives investigation team (headed by the then deputy Foreign
Minister=a Komei Party Dietmember) published in April, testimonies of
ministry employees were not included at all, and that ministry officials
forbid them to speak about the money to the team.

However, ministry employees and the public are raising doubts about and
even disagreement with such an unclear "settlement." The ministry under
Tanaka Makiko will have to answer their concern, especially on the key issue
of the "secret fund" which was suspectedly used to buy up leading members of
some opposition parties, the paper stated. (end)