Japan Press Weekly

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2024 May 29 - June 4 [POLITICS]

Opposition parties unite to ban donations from corporation and interest groups

The Japanese Communist Party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, and three other opposition parties on May 28 confirmed that they will unite in demanding that the ruling parties agree to place a ban on political donations from corporations and other interest groups.

They will also urge the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner Komei Party to abolish “policy activity expenses” which enable lawmakers to spend the money without obtaining receipts or to fully disclose for what purpose the money was used, and introduce a “guilt-by-association system” in the Political Funds Control Act in order to hold lawmakers responsible for their campaigners’ violation of the law.

JCP Diet Policy Commission Chair Kokuta Keiji at a press conference on the same day said, “It is remarkable that the opposition parties have unanimously confirmed a united effort toward a ban on corporate donations.” He also said, “We, the opposition parties, should unwaveringly work together until we achieve our common goals.”

The political parties and a political group other than the JCP and the CDPJ are the Democratic Party for the People, the “Nippon Ishin no Kai” party, and a group of like-minded parliamentarians.