DPJ leader admits his fund managing organization used names of deceased in its list of contributors

Japan Press Weekly

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

DPJ leader admits his fund managing organization used names of deceased in its list of contributors

President of the Democratic Party of Japan Hatoyama Yukio admitted that his fund-managing organization had abused the names of deceased in its list of political fund contributors.

The fact of dubious political contributions has come to light at the heels of the revelation that former DPJ President Ozawa Ichiro accepted illegal political donations from a construction company.

At a news conference on June 30, Hatoyama admitted that media reports regarding the false political funds report of the DPJ are "basically true."

He accepted his oversight responsibility and apologized for the irregularities but tried to shift the blame onto his accountants, saying that he had entrusted accounting to them.

He also expressed his intention to remain as the DPJ head by saying, "I would like to fulfill my responsibility for the position, thereby performing my duties as the DPJ president."

According to Hatoyama, his fund raising organization had received donations using 193 falsified names, amounting to 22 million yen in total between 2005 and 2008. He admitted that they had also accepted such donations even before 2005.

- Akahata, July 1, 2009