suspicious

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Liquor retailers' suspicious political donations needs looking into
Akahata editorial (excerpts)

Former secretary general of the All Japan Liquor Merchants Co-operative Association was arrested on charges of embezzling liquor retailer union's pension funds. The incident, however, involves more than just one secretary's crime. The association's method of fund investment and lobbying politicians using its political arm needs to be thoroughly investigated.

Money ties over deregulation of liquor sales

The Association in 2002 failed in investments of 14.4 billion yen abroad and has been unable to collect funds to refund union members.

The foreign investments were made through the mediation of a former secretary to a Liberal Democratic Party House of Representatives member. It was a time when deregulation of licensing for liquor retail sales was on the political agenda. According to the association's secretary general, "It was common practice to use money to lobby politicians."

The Association's political arm, Shuseiren, in its political funds report publicly stated that some 100 million yen was given to politicians. Apart from this, Shuseiren frequently wined and dined politicians.

Its political lobbying increased to block the government plan to generally liberalize liquor retail sales, which had some justification.

However, using donations to Liberal Democratic, Komei, and Democratic Party of Japan lawmakers, Shuseiren was in effect buying legislation.

A major influence buying operation

It should be noted that the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) is now trying to buy political parties and their policies on a far greater scale than liquor retailers union. Nippon Keidanren has established criteria for donations by assessing how pro-business the policies of the LDP, Komei, and DPJ are. Donations from organizations and corporations to political parties that distort and corrupt politics through the power of money, should be immediately banned. -- Akahata, November 21, 2005