Japan Press Weekly

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2024 October 23 - 29 [POLITICS]

Tamura criticizes LDP for using tax money to covertly support ‘slush fund’ lawmakers’ general election campaign

Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chair Tamura Tomoko on October 23 said, “The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has used tax-funded government subsidies to support political slush fund scandal-hit members running in the general election. This is as if the LDP is making fun of the general populace, which is totally unacceptable.”

Tamura made this statement in Fukuoka City, where she visited as part of the JCP general election campaign, when asked by reporters about an Akahata scoop on the previous day.

Akahata on October 22 reported that soon after official campaigning for the general election started, the LDP provided the sum of 20 million yen each to eight local chapters headed by lawmakers who were denied party endorsement due to their involvement in the off-the-book money scandal.

According to Akahata, the money allocated to the eight chapters came from government subsidies, using tax money given to the LDP. The amount of the money was the same as the amount distributed to candidates with official endorsement, which means that the LDP, in effect, gave free tickets to the eight lawmakers.

LDP Secretary General Moriyama Hiroshi on October 23 admitted that the 20 million yen was provided to each of the eight chapters to cover “expenses for activities to increase party strength” during the election campaign.