Donation to agricultural minister is suspected of violating election law

Political funds totaling 17 million yen donated to Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery Minister Oshima Tadamori around the general election in 2000 from government contractors are suspected to be in violation of the Public Offices Election Law.

Japanese Communist Party Policy Commission Chair Fudesaka Hideyo revealed this during his questions in the House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting on March 6.

The Public Offices Election Law forbids donations from corporations under contract with the central or local governments, regarding them as "particular-purposed." The donations to Oshima from six contractors were all around the day of the announcement of the general election. Fudesaka said that they were clearly illegal election funds, as such donations were not a regular practice for the contractors. Oshima simply repeated that the money was political funding and was appropriately treated as such.

Fudesaka also raised the suspicion that a document dated June 13, 2000, the day the general election was announced, by which a conractors' society instructed its members to give money to Liberal Democratic Party House of Representatives member Eto Takami is in violation of the Public Offices Election Law.

JCP Fudesaka asked Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro how long he is going to keep the agricultural minister, who is under serious suspicion of accepting tainted money, in his cabinet. The prime minister promised to look into the situation within the present Diet session. (end)