Japan Press Weekly

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2010 March 31 - April 6 [POLITICS]

When will DPJ ban corporate political donations?

On April 4, the DPJ Hyogo Prefectural branch held a fundraising party in Kobe City by inviting DPJ Secretary General Ozawa Ichiro. Ozawa himself plans to have such a gathering on April 8 in Tokyo with each ticket costing 20,000 yen.

Major corporations and organizations are the major buyers of tickets for fundraising parties held by parliamentarians.

Triggered by a plutocratic scandal involving Nishimatsu Construction Co. and Ozawa, the DPJ in the House of Representatives election last summer promised to prohibit corporations and organizations from making political donations.

However, it has not banned its members from holding fundraising events. In March, Internal Affairs and Communication Minister Haraguchi Kazuhiro held a fundraising gathering celebrating the publication of his book in Tokyo.

Voters cannot place their trust in the promise to “restore public trust for politics (Prime Minister Hatoyama)” if the DPJ continues to break its election promises.
- Akahata, April 5, 2010