November 23, 2013
It has come to light that Tokyo Governor Inose Naoki received a lot of money from a medical group company which is suspected of violating the Public Offices Election Law.
The medical corporation, Tokushukai, is managed by former Lower House member Tokuda Torao and his family members. The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office investigated the firm in September on suspicion that they spent company funds in mobilizing its employees for last December’s general election campaign, in which Torao’s second son ran as a candidate of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Governor Inose said at a press conference on November 22 that he visited Tokuda in November 2012 to ask for “support” in the gubernatorial election to be held the following month, and that he accepted 50 million yen in cash from Tokuda’s second son, Takeshi.
Inose explained that he personally “borrowed” the money without interest and need for collateral, and it had nothing to do with his election campaign. He added that he returned the “loan” to Tokuda in September this year, shortly after investigating authorities raided the Tokushukai office.
However, the governor failed to list the 50 million yen in the financial statement he submitted to the metropolitan government this March or in his political funds report. This is suspected to constitute the submission of false statements banned by the Public Offices Election Law.
Japanese Communist Party member of the metropolitan assembly Oyama Tomoko issued a statement on November 22 criticizing the governor for receiving such a huge amount of cash from a group corporation subsidized by the Tokyo government and expressed her determination to thoroughly reveal the hidden facts behind the matter.
The medical corporation, Tokushukai, is managed by former Lower House member Tokuda Torao and his family members. The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office investigated the firm in September on suspicion that they spent company funds in mobilizing its employees for last December’s general election campaign, in which Torao’s second son ran as a candidate of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Governor Inose said at a press conference on November 22 that he visited Tokuda in November 2012 to ask for “support” in the gubernatorial election to be held the following month, and that he accepted 50 million yen in cash from Tokuda’s second son, Takeshi.
Inose explained that he personally “borrowed” the money without interest and need for collateral, and it had nothing to do with his election campaign. He added that he returned the “loan” to Tokuda in September this year, shortly after investigating authorities raided the Tokushukai office.
However, the governor failed to list the 50 million yen in the financial statement he submitted to the metropolitan government this March or in his political funds report. This is suspected to constitute the submission of false statements banned by the Public Offices Election Law.
Japanese Communist Party member of the metropolitan assembly Oyama Tomoko issued a statement on November 22 criticizing the governor for receiving such a huge amount of cash from a group corporation subsidized by the Tokyo government and expressed her determination to thoroughly reveal the hidden facts behind the matter.
