Prime minister says LDP won't take money from companies in the red

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro has promised that the Liberal Democratic Party won't accept money in donations from companies that are in the red and unable to pay dividends to shareholders.

The prime minister stated this in answer to the Japanese Communist Party's representative Sasaki Kensho during the February 20 Lower House Budget Committee meeting on "money and politics."

Sasaki displayed statistical data showing that 21 construction companies listed on the stock exchange, unable to pay dividends, donated money to the LDP during 1996-2000.

The JCP Dietmember also criticized the prime minister for not taking specific steps to implement his instructions to the LDP a year ago to refrain from taking money in donation from companies involved in bidding for public works projects.

Although the prime minister insisted that requesting business organizations to provide donations is a normal part of political activity, he added, "We must change our practice to not ask for donations from companies which cannot pay dividends."(end)