May 28, 2015
Deliberation on bills submitted by the Japanese Communist Party to abolish the public funding system for political parties and ban corporate political donations began in the House of Representatives on May 27.
JCP Dietmember Kokuta Keiji, for the first time in 15 years as a JCP representative, explained the purpose of the two bills at a House Committee meeting.
People have the right and the freedom to make donations to political parties they support. However, the existing system, Kokuta pointed out, forces everyone to donate 250 yen per capita to even political parties they do not support. This is a clear violation of the freedom of thought and creed which the Constitution guarantees, he said.
Many political parties, regardless of differences in their political stances and individual policies, have repeatedly changed alignments in order to obtain the state subsidies. Referring to this fact, Kokuta stated, “The public funding system has been corrupting politics and harming democracy.”
The other bill the JCP submitted is aimed at totally banning corporations and organizations from providing political donations and buying tickets to political fundraising parties.
The JCP representative said that the corporate political donations are a form of bribery seeking special privileges or favors and a breach of people’s political rights. “To allow for-profit companies to use their financial power to influence policies will lead Japanese politics to only serve the moneyed interests,” he added.
Adding, “Putting an end to those two structures is vital to eradicate money buying politics,” he stressed the need for Japanese politics to have the JCP-proposed bills enacted.
Past related articles:
> JCP submits bill to ban corporate political donations [April 2, 2015]
> JCP submits bill to abolish state subsidy for political parties [January 27, 2015]
JCP Dietmember Kokuta Keiji, for the first time in 15 years as a JCP representative, explained the purpose of the two bills at a House Committee meeting.
People have the right and the freedom to make donations to political parties they support. However, the existing system, Kokuta pointed out, forces everyone to donate 250 yen per capita to even political parties they do not support. This is a clear violation of the freedom of thought and creed which the Constitution guarantees, he said.
Many political parties, regardless of differences in their political stances and individual policies, have repeatedly changed alignments in order to obtain the state subsidies. Referring to this fact, Kokuta stated, “The public funding system has been corrupting politics and harming democracy.”
The other bill the JCP submitted is aimed at totally banning corporations and organizations from providing political donations and buying tickets to political fundraising parties.
The JCP representative said that the corporate political donations are a form of bribery seeking special privileges or favors and a breach of people’s political rights. “To allow for-profit companies to use their financial power to influence policies will lead Japanese politics to only serve the moneyed interests,” he added.
Adding, “Putting an end to those two structures is vital to eradicate money buying politics,” he stressed the need for Japanese politics to have the JCP-proposed bills enacted.
Past related articles:
> JCP submits bill to ban corporate political donations [April 2, 2015]
> JCP submits bill to abolish state subsidy for political parties [January 27, 2015]
