Japan Press Weekly

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2007 August 1 - 21 [SCANDAL]

Defense Minister Koike received funds from contract awarded corporation while serving as environmental minister

Akahata has learned that Defense Minister Koike Yuriko in 2005, while serving as the environmental minister, received a one million yen political donation from Congress Corporation to which the environmental ministry had awarded a contract for the management of an international symposium organized by the ministry.

According to a political fund report filed by the Liberal Democratic Party’s House of Representatives 10th constituency branch in Tokyo headed by Koike, the donation was made on August 26, shortly before the official announcement of a general election, and is suspected of violating the Public Offices Election Law banning election-related donations from companies that have been awarded contracts for public works projects.

In 2005, Congress Corporation, the Osaka-based firm that provides international convention management services, was given by the ministry a 54.6 million yen contract to hold an international convention on environmental endocrine disrupters.

This firm has received a total of 10 negotiated contracts worth 387 million yen from the ministry since FY 2000. - Akahata, August 4, 2007