NGO chief says he was threatened by Suzuki

The chief of a Japanese non-governmental organization, who was refused admittance to the Afghan reconstruction conference held in Tokyo in January, said at a press conference in his office in Tokyo on January 30 that he was threatened by Suzuki Muneo, Liberal Democratic Party House of Representatives Member.

Onishi Kensuke, overall supervisor of the Peace Winds Japan (PWJ), said that there has been friction since December 2001 between the PWJ and Suzuki, who is said to have pressured the Foreign Ministry into barring the PWJ from the Afghan conference.

Onishi and other PWJ staff members met with Suzuki four times. Onishi said that at the meetings Suzuki told them, "We are collecting taxes from the people. If you use taxpayers money, you can't do anything without respect for politics," and "You had better behave properly, otherwise I will have to review the financial support to you."

Onishi quoted Suzuki as also saying, "You will get no money when you hold an Afghan conference. Remember this."

When the PWJ held the Tokyo NGO conference on Afghan reconstruction last December, the Foreign Ministry intended to share the costs of inviting Afghan NGOs, but canceled the plan because Suzuki protested against it.

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro is trying to settle the NGO issue with dismissals of the foreign minister and the vice foreign minister. On this, Onishi said that Foreign Minister Tanaka Makiko's dismissal is unfair, pointing out that the biggest problem is that the Foreign Ministry changed its position under Suzuki's pressure. (end)