2017 November 29 - December 5 TOP3 [
JCP]
Increase in individual donations represents general public’s high expectations for JCP
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The Internal Affairs Ministry on November 30 released the 2016 Political Fund Reports showing that the amount of donations from private individuals to the Japanese Communist Party nearly doubled in three years.
According to the report, the JCP Central Committee earned a total income of 21.6 billion yen (down 9% from the previous year). Of the 21.6 billion yen, 18.4 billion yen came from the subscription of organ papers and sales of magazines and books, 642 million yen from party dues, and 817 million yen from individual doners. The expenditures totaled 21.8 billion yen (down 8% from the previous year), 13.5 billion yen of which were spent for publications and related businesses.
JCP Financial and Management Commission Chair Iwai Tetsuya on the same day issued a statement.
Iwai said that the amount of donations from private individuals to the party increased for three consecutive years and reached 190% of that in 2013. He stated that under the JCP advance starting in the 2013 elections for the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly and the House of Councilors, the general public have high expectations for the stance and roles of the JCP which has collaborated with concerned citizens on various issues such as the war laws and worked to realize and promote the joint struggle between opposition parties and concerned citizens. Iwai pointed out that the boost in political donations to the JCP reflects these expectations.
Iwai noted that as shown in the composition of the JCP revenues, the party refuses to accept unconstitutional state subsidies for political parties and does not receive political donations from corporations and organizations which distort politics with money.
In addition, Iwai mentioned that business-related income/expenditure made up the majority of the JCP financial activities. He said that this indicates that the JCP connects closely with the general public at the grassroots level through activities centering on Akahata.