Japan Press Weekly

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2016 November 23 - 29 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Chair of committee deliberating Toyosu market issue receives questionable donations

The chair of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly special committee formed to discuss the issue of relocating the Tsukiji fish market to the Toyosu district has received political donations from companies which won the tenders for the relocation work. Akahata reported this on November 25.

According to Akahata, Liberal Democratic Party assemblyperson Yamazaki Ikki, chairing the special committee, accepted a total of 2.17 million yen between 2010 and 2015 from the three firms which made successful bids for the work.

The ratios of the winning bids to the official cost estimate all stood at over 99%. The group composed of the Japanese Communist Party metropolitan assemblypersons has been pursuing this issue, arguing that it suggests a strong possibility of bid-rigging.

Lawyer Shimizu Tsutomu, representative of an ombudspersons’ group in Tokyo, pointed out that the metropolitan assembly is responsible for clarifying the issue of the alleged collusion and the sharp rise in the relocation cost. “It is outrageous that the special committee chair received contributions from these highly suspicious companies. It seems that there is a close connection between the political donations and the LDP’s stance trying to delay the committee deliberations on the matter,” he said.

Past related article:
> JCP Tokyo Assemblyperson raises question of bid rigging allegation over Toyosu market project [October 6, 2016]