Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2014 October 22 - 28 [POLITICS]

Defense Minister Eto may have accepted illegal donations

Akahata learned that Defense Minister Eto Akinori has received 3.5 million yen in donations from his fund management organization in possible violation of the Political Funds Control Act.

Akahata on October 25 reported that other than the fundraising body, he also accepted a total of eight million yen in donations from a Liberal Democratic Party chapter headed by Eto himself which is located in his constituency.

Paragraph 2, Article 21 of the Political Funds Control Act prohibits political groups, including fund management organizations, from providing donations to political activities of any candidates for public office, except during their election campaign.

The law, however, excludes political parties and party chapters from this regulation, so the donation from the LDP local chapter is “legal”.

Nearly 60% of the chapter’s income comes from the money allocated by the LDP headquarters from its government subsidy. Given this fact, the donation Eto received has likely been funded by taxpayers’ money and how he used the money remains untraceable.

He already corrected his political funds report in regard to the 3.5 million yen received from his fundraiser, but he is trying to sweep the allegation against him under the rug. He should account for these donations.