Japan Press Weekly

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2016 October 12 - 18 [POLITICS]

JCP’s revelation of ‘blank receipts’ corners PM & ruling party

The governing Liberal Democratic Party issued a notice on October 11 to prohibit its lawmakers from giving “blank receipts” to participants when they hold fund-raising parties. This move has come in response to the mounting public criticism triggered by interpellations by Japanese Communist Party legislators.

At an Upper House Budget Committee session on the same day, JCP parliamentarian Daimon Mikishi grilled Abe Cabinet members citing the fact that they received blank receipts for the tickets for LDP lawmakers’ fund-raising parties and enter a sum on the slips by themselves.

Daimon referred to the Internal Affairs Ministry-compiled guidelines on political funding reports. The guidelines require political organizations to attach to their funds reports receipts with an “object”, “sum”, and “date” on them. The papers also note that it is “inappropriate” for payers to enter a sum on a receipt on their own.

In response to Daimon, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo said, “I understand your point.” Abe added that the LDP secretary-general has issued a notice in accordance with the prime minister’s instructions.