2010 April 14 - 20 [
POLITICS]
New party’s head Hiranuma funded DPJ members
|
April 16, 2010
Heavyweights of the former ruling Liberal Democratic Party have recently established a new party called the Sunrise Party of Japan with the aim to overthrow the Democratic Party of Japan. However, representative of the new party Hiranuma Takeo used to provide funds to DPJ parliamentarians.
The new political force was established by former senior members of the LDP, including former Economic, Trade, and Industry Minister Hiranuma, former Finance Minister Yosano Kaoru, and former acting LDP Secretary General Sonoda Hiroyuki.
According to its 2008 political funds report, Hiranuma’s fund management body donated one million yen to a support group of DPJ Dietmember Ryu Hirofumi.
It also paid as party ticket fees 500,000 yen to DPJ Lower House member Kobayashi Koki (who did not have a Diet seat at that time), 500,000 yen to Ryu’s support group, and 100,000 yen to a support group of Lower House member Nagashima Akihisa (who is now the parliamentary secretary of Defense).
Hiranuma in 2008 collected 286 million yen, following LDP Secretary General Nakagawa Hidenao’s 315 million yen.
- Akahata, April 16, 2010
