Japan Press Weekly

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2012 April 4 - 10 [POLITICS]

Political parties to receive 32 billion yen in subsidies

The ministry of internal affairs decided to allocate 32 billion yen in subsidies to political parties this year, up 70 million yen from the previous year.

The government subsidies are given to all political parties except the Japanese Communist Party, which refuses the subsidy on principle, claiming that the subsidy system infringes on the constitutional right to freedom of thought and conscience.

The Democratic Party of Japan and the Liberal Democratic Party will receive 83 % of the political subsidies this year. More than 400 million yen will be given to the People’s New Party, whose leader Kamei Shizuka just left the party.

The subsidies will be given for the first time to the following two parties: the Kizuna Party, which was established at the end of last year by former DPJ members; and the New Party Daichi, which now has 5 Dietmembers including those who formerly were DPJ parliamentarians.

On March 21, the Misato Town Assembly in Saitama Prefecture adopted a statement calling on the national government to abolish the subsidies for political parties and use the money to support victims of the 3.11 disaster.