December 6, 2023

The Japanese Communist Party on December 5 submitted to the House of Councilors a bill to impose a total ban on political donations from corporations and organizations, as alleged falsification of Liberal Democratic Party factions’ accounting records came to the surface regarding ticket sales for their fundraising parties.

The bill, if enacted, will prohibit all political donations from corporations and organizations. It will define the income from sales for fundraiser tickets as political donations and therefore prohibit all business entities and other interest groups from buying tickets for political fundraising parties. At present, the minimum amount of ticket purchases that must be declared publicly is set at 200, 000 yen, but it will be lowered to 50,000 yen under the bill.

After the submission of the bill, JCP member of the Upper House Inoue Satoshi on behalf of the co-sponsors of the bill held a press conference. He said that the JCP considers that the purchase of fundraiser tickets by business organizations should also be banned in addition to a ban on corporate donations with suspicion arising that the LDP factions have been making off-the-book profits from their political fundraising parties.

He criticized the buying of fundraiser tickets by business organizations for being nothing other than political donations.

Inoue noted that part of the income from ticket sales has been unlisted on political funds reports and that ticket sales quotas are said to be placed on party-hosting politicians. He said, “The allegation that the sales exceeding the quota become secret slush funds has been discovered. Prime Minister Kishida as president of the LDP should be held responsible for unraveling the whole truth.”

Inoue said that political parties are supposed to be funded by individual supporters. He added that a total ban on political donations, including fundraiser ticket purchases, from business entities and other interest groups will eradicate political corruption and is the way to regain people’s trust in politics.

Past related article:
> Tamura reveals that PM Kishida earns 90% return from fundraising partie
December 2, 2023]