Japan Press Weekly

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2018 July 18 - 24 [JCP]

Koike refutes ‘Ishin no Kai’ chief’s attack on JCP efforts to collect disaster relief donations

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira on July 23 at a press conference in the Diet building refuted anti-communist Osaka Governor Matsui Ichiro’s attack on the JCP efforts to collect donations for disaster victims.

Matsui, who also heads the political party “Ishin no Kai”, a supplementary force of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, on July 11 tweeted that after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, the JCP raised 1.07 billion yen in donations for relief of the disaster victims but the party handed 593 million yen of the money to the disaster-hit municipalities. He also tweeted that the JCP provided to the affected-municipal governments only a portion of the donations collected and deducted the rest under the guise of “necessary expenses”.

At the press conference, Koike said that Matsui is trying to give the public the false impression that the JCP skimmed a large amount of money from the donations. He went on to say that the party offered direct support for disaster-stricken municipalities in not only cash but also in essential goods with the 1.07 billion yen.

Explaining the details of expenditures, Koike said that the party spent 200 million yen to buy relief supplies, 229 million yen to supply the necessary gear and tools for 50,000 volunteers working in disaster-hit areas, and 47 million yen for other expenses such as delivery costs.

Koike stressed, “The JCP made the most efficient use of all the donations collected to assist the 2011 disaster victims and municipalities.” He said, “Matsui’s tweet is nonsensical and reflects his ignorance of the logistics involved in coordinating volunteer activities and relief efforts.”

At the press conference, Koike announced that the JCP will send 25 million yen in total to municipalities affected by the recent heavy rains in western Japan out of donations that the party has collected.

Past related articles:
> JCP active in relief efforts in heavy rain-hit western Japan [July 11, 2018]
> LDP decides to discuss casino bill instead of support measures for heavy rainfall victims [July 10, 2018]