Ichida: 'Mr. Ozawa must tell the truth about allegations of accepting illegal donations'

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Ichida: 'Mr. Ozawa must tell the truth about allegations of accepting illegal donations'

At a news conference on March 24, Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi commented on the indictment of Democratic Party of Japan President Ozawa Ichiro's secretary and on his explanation on this latest development regarding the allegation that he received illegal donations. His remarks are as below:

This issue is too serious to dismiss as a simple typographic error in a political funds report. It gives rise to suspicions that he may have tried to conceal from the public eye the fact that he has accepted large amounts of donations from Nishimatsu for many years, an infringement of the fundamental principles of the Political Funds Control Law.

The Political Funds Control Law is intended to keep political activities always under public scrutiny and criticism by requiring politicians to make public their income and expenditure with the aim of preventing political corruption. It is necessary to deal with the matter in conformity with the law.

At today's news conference, Mr. Ozawa just stated that the point is that there is a difference in understanding about how to fill in the financial report under the Political Funds Control Law. He said nothing to refute the charges as stated by the prosecutors. He is a politician who has accepted huge amounts of donations, and this same person says, "It is common sense to not pry into donor organizations." Such an explanation will not satisfy the public.

Not only Mr. Ozawa but also the Democratic Party of Japan itself has the responsibility to respond to the charges and tell the public the truth. Although the DPJ recently submitted a bill to prohibit public works contractors from making political donations and has called for their prohibition in its election "manifesto", its own president is violating the public promise. Why did he have to hide the source of cash donations? He must tell the public the truth regarding all these issues.

The same applies to the Liberal Democratic Party given the fact that Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Nikai Toshihiro and other politicians are suspected of accepting donations under similar dubious circumstances.

In parallel with the judicial investigation, the Diet has the responsibility to establish the facts and make clear the whereabouts of political and moral responsibilities.

Corporate and organizational donations should be banned immediately since they are the root cause of political corruption. Government subsidies to political parties should also be banned since it unconstitutionally provides tax money for political parties.<.p>

- Akahata, March 25, 2009