 Accountant of former Prime Minister Hashimoto's faction prosecuted The Special Investigation Division of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office on September 18 indicted a treasurer of the largest Liberal Democratic Party faction (led by Former Prime Minister Hashimoto Ryutaro) on charges of violating the Political Funds Control Law. The prosecutors' action came seven months after a compulsory investigation into a bribery scandal involving the Japan Dentists Federation (JDF), a lobbying wing of the Japan Dental Association. This put an end to a series of investigations without actually looking into the corruption inside the political center. In July 2001, Former Prime Minister Hashimoto received a check for 100 million yen from JDF lobbyists at a luxurious Japanese restaurant in Tokyo with LDP secretary-general for the Upper House Aoki Mikio and former LDP Secretary General Nonaka Hiromu present. The Hashimoto faction's treasurer, however, did not record the check for 100 million yen in the faction's political fund balance sheet. The prosecutors indicted the former JDF chair and its accountant along with Hashimoto's treasurer, but dropped charges against the three big politicians. In a published comment on the same day, Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi stated that the three people involved in the corruption were prosecuted, but it is unacceptable for the public prosecutor's office to close the case without unearthing the purpose and the use of the money and the LDP executives' involvement in the scandal. "The Hashimoto faction's treasurer had reportedly asked an LDP chief clerk how to deal with the 100 million yen. If this is true, it will be a problem of not only the Hashimoto faction but the whole LDP. Koizumi Jun'ichiro as president of the LDP bears heavy responsibility. "The LDP and its president Koizumi should explain to the people about allegations against them. I demand again that an extraordinary Diet session be promptly convened to reveal the facts," said Ichida. (end) |