DPJ should respond to allegation of political donations

Japan Press Weekly

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DPJ should respond to allegation of political donations
Akahata editorial

Suspicions surrounding the receipts of political funds by Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio and Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ozawa Ichiro are growing.

In addition to an allegation that Hatoyama’s political fund management body Yuai Seikei Konwakai falsely reported Hatoyama’s personal donor names which included deceased persons’ names, it has been revealed that the management body allegedly made a false report of personal donations up to 50,000 yen a year collected from individuals anonymously. For Ozawa, whose secretary was arrested and charged for receiving illegal political donations from Nisimatsu Construction Co., there arose another suspicion that the total amount of Ozawa’s fundraising party ticket sales was falsely underreported.

Prime Minister Hatoyama and the DPJ should respond to the allegations.

200 million yen of Hatoyama’s personal donations suspected of being falsely reported

Hatoyama’s political fund management organization admitted fabricating a report on about 22 million yen donated from about 92 people between 2005 and 2008. On the other hand, the organization apparently disguised the total amount of 180 million yen in personal donations of up to 50,000 yen collected for 5 years since 2004 because donations under 50,000 yen are not required to list donor’s names. The total amount of personal donations to Hatoyama under suspicion is nearly 200 million yen, a huge amount.

Prime Minister Hatoyama, at first, explained that his secretary in charge of accounting practice reported that he had used the entrusted fund as donations in order to cover a shortage of donations. In Hatoyama’s political fund report, a record of donation was changed to a loan from Hatoyama. But, Hatoyama’s explanation fell short of accounting for his 200 million yen false reporting of political funds allegation. It has been revealed that most of Hatoyama’ anonymous personal donations were funded by the Hatoyama family’s fund-managing company, Rokkoshokai. In the Diet, Hatoyama acknowledged that he signed a document that allows his secretary to withdraw his assets.

The prime minister has explained that the fund alleged to be dubious donations was his own money. Politicians can donate a maximum 10 million yen a year to their own political fund management bodies. Hatoyama said that the excess of the upper limit was considered as loans.

Rokko Shokai also manages the assets of Hatoyama’s mother and relatives. Although the prime minister stated that he does not believe they were used as the funds of the controversial donations, his mother and relatives have actually donated to his funds management body. Individuals are allowed to donate to political groups a maximum 1.5 million yen annually. A building owned by Hatoyama’s mother was allegedly used as his office for free.

It is politicians’ responsibility to respond to allegations. Although the prime minister needs to explain his own involvement in the alleged fabrication of donations, he is avoiding giving such explanations stating that he is relying on prosecutors’ investigations. Such an irresponsible attitude must not be allowed. The Democratic Party of Japan is also reluctant to respond to the allegation. The Diet needs to investigate the facts behind this issue.

Facts must be investigated in Diet

The allegation of misconduct by Ozawa in regard to his political funds reporting must not be left untouched. The first trial of his arrested secretary is scheduled for December. Ozawa’s own involvement must be thoroughly investigated as well.

The flippant stance towards the “politics and money” scandal is related to the Hatoyama Cabinet’s fundamental attitude regarding the issue of money politics. Full-fledged investigations must be held openly by holding intensive discussions in budget committee meetings of the Diet with involved people participating.

- Akahata, November 8, 2009