Japan Press Weekly

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2014 October 8 - 14 [POLITICS]

Business circle aims to manipulate political parties with corporate donations

Akahata editorial (excerpt)

The Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) has issued a “report card” evaluating political parties’ policies, with the aim to encourage its member companies and industrial organizations to use it as reference when making political donations. The report card gives high marks for the performance of the ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties.

The evaluation report approves the LDP’s policies, such as the reduction in the corporate tax rate to 20%, the restart of nuclear reactors, and the proposed consumption tax rate increase to 10%. The Komei Party also received high marks as Keidanren judged that the party is working to establish a virtuous cycle of economy in line with Prime Minister Abe’s growth strategy.

In the report, Keidanren states, “The LDP-headed ruling coalition is steadily implementing effective economic policies to strengthen the Japanese economy and it deserves a high evaluation.” In short, it encourages member corporations to increase donations to the two parties. The business organization also evaluated the policies of the Democratic Party of Japan and four other opposition parties. The Japanese Communist Party was not evaluated because the JCP has no collusive ties with the business circle.

The business circle and large corporations are pushing for a lower corporate tax rate and the resumption of nuclear reactor operations, but the majority of the general public are opposed to these moves. Keidanren’s policy to promote corporate donations to political parties based on its evaluation will further enhance the government’s pro-business policies.

Although corporations are not sovereign members of society, they are preventing people’s participation in politics by exercising their huge influence on political parties through donations.

In order to make politics more people-oriented, companies should be banned from giving political donations and political parties should not be allowed by law to accept them.


Past related articles
> LDP thanks business leaders for encouraging political donations [September 10, 2014]
> Keidanren member corporations will resume political donations to LDP [August 28, 2014]