January 7, 2013

It has been brought to light that Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and 10 other cabinet members have accumulated about 4.8 million yen in total in government subsidies for political parties. Those ministers should return the remnant of the taxpayers’ money to the national treasury.

Akahata on January 7 released a survey result on a report explaining how the grants were used in 2011.

The 11 ministers received between 6 and 8 million yen in subsidies in 2011 via the Liberal Democratic Party’s headquarters.

PM Abe reported that he used up 6 million yen, all the money he got from his party in 2011, in personnel expenses which do not require receipts. Meanwhile, he carried forward to 2012 1.42 million yen that he had accumulated by 2010. Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide also carried over about 1.17 million yen.

Education Minister Kishida Fumio carried forward 870,000 yen to 2012, Deputy Prime Minister Aso Taro, 490,000 yen, and Environment Minister Ishihara Nobuteru, 480,000 yen.