 Shii: Diet must summon witnesses over party faction's crime The Tokyo District Court on December 3 sentenced Takigawa Toshiyuki, a former treasurer of the former Liberal Democratic Party Hashimoto faction, and found him guilty of not reporting a 100 million yen donation in violation of the Political Funds Control Law. The court concluded that the donation from the political arm of the Japan Dental Association was concealed under the instructions of Muraoka Kanezo, the faction's former vice president and former chief cabinet secretary. It stated that the crime involved the Hashimoto faction, and that the concealment was motivated to escape public criticism about collusion between the faction and the special interest group because the donation was made just before the Upper House election. The court ruled this as transgressing the aim of the law. Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on the day said to the press, "The ruling is significant in that it accepts the prosecutors' charges that the money may have been a bribe, that Hashimoto may have played a part, faction leaders could have known about the money, and that it may have been used to buy votes in the election." Shii said that it is necessary for the Diet to know the facts in order to clear public distrust in politics. He called on the Diet to summon witnesses under oath and on the ruling parties to accept the request. Concerning the 100 million yen check, former Prime Minister Hashimoto Ryutaro said, "Maybe it was fact, but I don't remember." Muraoka categorically denies his involvement. (end) |