Japan Press Weekly

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2008 September 10 - 16 [TOKYO]

JCP in Tokyo Assembly exposes Democratic Party’s plagiarism

At a news conference on September 4, the Japanese Communist Party Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly members' group revealed that the Democratic Party in the assembly plagiarized an expert’s report when it wrote a report on a tour of inspection abroad that cost taxpayers 7.65 million yen.

The report was about a tour of Brazil in October 2006. Four Democratic Party members of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly participated in it.

The JCP pointed out that in the “general overview” of the Democratic Party’s tour report, 95 out of 101 sentences were copied from an article by Oiwa Rei of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).

The JCP also revealed that the Liberal Democratic, Democratic, and Komei parties in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly have used 1.89 million yen per person on average for their tours abroad ostensibly for inspection and study.

Yoshida Nobuo, the secretary general of the JCP Metropolitan Assembly Members' Group, at a news conference said, “The Democratic Party’s plagiarism is dishonest and malicious, and betrays Tokyo citizens. The Democratic Party members who participated in the tour should apologize to the people in Tokyo and return their travel expenses. The Liberal Democratic, Democratic, and Komei parties should end their costly trips abroad.”

Secretary General of the Democratic Party in Tokyo Assembly, Tanaka Ryo and four members of the inspection tour to Brazil at a news conference said, “It is our fault that we published the report that was accused to be plagiarism. We sincerely apologize to Tokyo citizens.”

They said that they will consider returning their travel expenses.