2009 September 16 - 20 [
POLITICS]
Political donations from corporations and organizations
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September 18, 2009
All political parties except the Japanese Communist Party in Tokyo received the total amount of about 450 million yen in corporate and organizational political donations, according to the 2008 political funds report released by the Tokyo Metropolitan Electoral Management Committee on September 17.
The Liberal Democratic Party received about 400 million yen in corporate and organizational political donations, the Komei Party about 10 million yen, the Democratic Party of Japan 40 million yen, and the Social Democratic Party 6.5 million yen.
Diet members and Tokyo Assembly members of all political parties (except the JCP) obtained political donations from corporations and organizations by using a political party branch which is eligible to accept corporate and organizational political donations and fund-raising parties.
Because the Political Fund Control Law prohibits corporations and organizations from donating money to individual politicians, politicians use a tricky way to evade the law. Political donations from corporations and organizations accepted by a politician’s party branch are given to the politician’s supporters’ organization registered at the same address as its party branch.
The JCP’s finance is based on party dues and political donations from individuals, and, of course, the JCP accepts neither political donations from corporations and organizations nor does it condone fund-raising parties.
- Akahata, September 18, 2009
