Japan Press Weekly

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2015 April 8 - 14 [POLITICS]

LDP will enjoy record amount of state subsidies

The Liberal Democratic Party in 2015 will receive a government subsidy of about 17.49 billion yen, up 1.2 billion yen from the previous year and a record high since 1995 when the government subsidy system started.

The Internal Affairs Ministry on April 10 announced the amount of taxpayer money to be granted to 10 political parties, with the exception of the Japanese Communist Party which refuses to accept subsidies, in fiscal 2015.

The Komei Party, LDP’s coalition partner, will receive 2.95 billion yen in government subsidies (up 13.5% from a year earlier) and the largest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan 7.68 billion yen (up 14.6%).

The allocated amount of state subsidies to the Japan Innovation Party, which advocates the sacrifice of Diet seats and cuts in government spending, will double to 2.66 billion yen.

The money granted to these four political parties amounts to 90% of the total of 32 billion yen in government subsidies. The LDP enriches itself with public funds and political donations from corporations while implementing heavier tax burdens and cuts in social welfare services on the general public.

The JCP has submitted to the current Diet session bills to abolish the state subsidy system and ban corporate political donations.

The allocations of government subsidies to other political parties are as follows: Party for Future Generations, 561 million yen; Social Democratic Party, 470 million yen; People’s Life Party, 331 million yen; Party to Revitalize Japan, 119.6 million yen; New Renaissance Party 104 million yen; and Sunrise Party 93.2 million yen.


Past related articles:
> JCP submits bill to ban corporate political donations [April 2, 2015]
> JCP submits bill to abolish state subsidy for political parties [January 27, 2015]