JCP Ichida says DPJ first must come clean about alleged illegal donations to its former leader

Japan Press Weekly

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JCP Ichida says DPJ first must come clean about alleged illegal donations to its former leader

The Democratic Party of Japan submitted the bill to revise the Political Fund Control Law to outlaw political donations by corporations in three years.

Asked by reporters to comment on the DPJ proposal, Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on June 1 said, "It is good that the DPJ has moved to prohibit corporations from making political donations, but the immediate task is for the DPJ to clarify its position on two issues."

He said, "Former DPJ President Ozawa Ichiro and the party should examine what they have done by disclosing all information about the allegations of accepting illegal political donations from Nishimatsu Construction Co. If the DPJ recognizes that corporate donations are in actually bribes, it should call for an immediate ban on corporate donations instead of waiting for three more years. These are two essential tasks that the DPJ should fulfill first if it wants to gain the trust of the public."

Pointing out that the DPJ proposal also calls for tax breaks on personal donations, Ichida stated, "The reason why the DPJ can't collect enough personal donations is not due to the system but the party's stance. In addition to corporate donations, the DPJ receives the government subsidy. People are reluctant to donate their money to such parties."

"If the DPJ wants to resolve the issue of political corruption, they should stop accepting corporate donations and the government subsidy to political parties at the same time."

- Akahata June 2, 2009