December 21, 2024

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

A total of 19 Liberal Democratic Party Dietmembers of the former Abe and Nikai factions attended the Political Ethics Committee of both Houses in regard to the alleged kickback money scandal. However, most of them did not admit to their awareness of the slush-fund creation.

Inada Tomomi (House of Representatives) said, “I was aware of my quota for fundraising party ticket sales, but I was unaware of the refund (kickback) system,” Sasaki Hajime (House of Representatives) said, “I didn’t even know I was receiving a kickback.”

Hagiuda Koichi (House of Representatives) testified that in 2003, he was told by the executive secretary of his faction about his quota for fundraiser ticket sales and that he would be paid back in excess of the quota. He also testified that his office staff were told by the faction’s secretary general that any refunds for excess quota sales should not be included in the political funding reports. The chief of the faction at that time was former Prime Minister Mori Yoshiro. This means that Hagiwada’s faction had been making slush funds for 20 years.

In addition, Shibayama Masahiko (House of Representatives) testified that around 2014, his secretary was instructed by the faction to not include the money which was returned in excess of the ticket sales quota in his political funds reports. He said that he was “suspicious” about the instruction at that time, but he complied with the instruction because the faction explained to him that this is not a problem. In other words, Shibayama continued to make off-the-book funds while thinking that it may be “illegal”.

Ota Fusae (House of Councilor) said that no receipts remain and that she is not in contact with her former secretary. Ota insisted that she never used the money returned for election campaigns. Yamatani Eriko (House of Councilor) said that she keeps the money untouched. Ota and Yamatani argued that they never used the money illegally.

The 19 politicians appeared before the Political Ethics Committee meetings, but they all defended themselves by saying that they “didn’t know” or “don’t remember” to evade their responsibility. Under such circumstances, the whole truth behind unregistered funds will never be uncovered.

The Diet should summon them as sworn witnesses so that they cannot give testimonies that contradict the facts. This is the responsibility of the Diet.