No. 1341 Ruling LDP’s Fundraising Party Tickets Scandal
A bribe scandal of party tickets sales of the intraparty factions of ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has now ushered in a new dimension after the special investigation unit of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office announced criminal procedures. A problem of politics and money, however, twists democracy. The dishonor must be thoroughly investigated. Struggles to rectify politics have just started.
DON’T FOOL THE PEOPLE!
Five factions inside the LDP made earnings from selling fundraising party tickets, which was first reported by a Sunday issue of the Akahata, a weekly of the Japanese Communist Party, in November two years ago. Prof. Kamiwake Hiroshi, Kobe Gakuin University, did not perceive instinctively that the case represents simple accounting errors. Then he checked the financial reports on political organizations of those parties who had sold tickets on one hand and of those who had bought them on the other. He has found bribes to disclose them. The incident has become a criminal event.
Suspicious money must be kept secret
If the money had been recorded rightly in the funding statement, that would have been all right, people say. No! The LDP has managed loopholes of the regulative laws, taking advantage of the kick-backed extra incomes related to the fundraising events. The party members do not log inflows as they do not regard them as legitimate.
The politicians needed secret money, because they have involved in matters that violate rules of laws and democracy. Tax money amounting as much as 16 billion and 53 million yen (a total of 24 years) has been paid to the ruling LDP as grants for political activities. The recent disclosure tells us that another cash flew to the robber side.
Incidentally, Chairman Tokura Masakazu of the Keidanren, or the Japan Business Foundation, expressed openly ‘where a problem is seen’ after replying that ‘the Foundation contributes to the society’ over the fact that his organization pays approximately 2.4 billion yen to the LDP every year as political funds. If he insists on contributing to the Japanese society, he should pay money to all political parties.
A system of the political party grants was established with a presumption to abolish donations from enterprises and private organizations in order to terminate plutocracy. The statement of Chairman Tokura represents a fact that patronage politics still undergoes today. The LDP enjoys three kinds of influxes, including the fundraising events tickets. A vicious practice.
The LDP, which is corrupt, tarnished with dirty money and concessions, cannot understand harsh plight of people’s life. People in general are required to record income and expenditure actions under the Invoice Program even though the amounts are small, while the LDP politicians gain an enormous sum of money off the book. Unacceptable indeed.
Leaders of LDP’s intraparty factions are exempted from an application of the collective responsibility scheme for violating the Political Fund Control Act. A top person of the Abe Faction, in particular, made an open apology, after escaping criminal charges, and announced the sum of kick-backed money. Cabinet members and lawmakers of the Abe Faction had led the campaign to decrease aids to beneficiaries of the Life Protection Service during the time of Abe administrations. Many people get mad, remembering their attitudes.
Shut loopholes!
The Political Fund Control Act is said to be extravagant, as it has many loopholes. It is impossible to end transactions of secret money that deforms politics, unless the law prohibits exceptions. It is essential to revise the Law so as to contain a collective responsibility scheme in which lawmakers owe accountability jointly.
Relying solely on politicians cannot change the law. A notion that politics needs money must be rejected. To correct politics and defend democracy lies in people’s anger and actions.
自民党派閥のパーティ券裏金事件は、東京地検特捜部が刑事処分を発表してひと区切りを迎えることになった。だが、民主主義を歪める政治とカネの問題を追及し、政治を正す闘いはこれからだ。
自民党５派閥のパーティ収入問題は、一昨年11月に『しんぶん赤旗』日曜版が取り上げた。「事務的ミスではない」と直感した神戸学院大の上脇博之教授が、パー券を売った側と買った側の政治団体収支報告書を突き合わせて「裏金」を突き止め、告発して事件になった。
やましいから裏金
キックバックされたお金を政治資金収支報告書に記載していれば、問題なかったというが、自民党はパー券を規正法の抜け穴としてきた。やましい金だから記載しなかったのだ。
裏金を必要としたのは、法の建て前・民主主義のルールに反することをやっているからだ。自民党には、１６０億５３００万円（24年分）もの莫大な政党助成金が血税から支払われている。泥棒に追い銭というべきだ。
また、経団連が自民党に毎年約24億円を政治献金していることについて、十倉雅和会長は「社会貢献のひとつ」とした上で「何が問題なのか」と言い放った。社会貢献というなら、すべての政党に出すべきではないか。
利権政治脱却へ企業団体献金の廃止を前提に導入されたのが政党交付金制度。十倉発言は、今なお続く利権政治への居直りだ。パー券と合わせれば自民党は三重取り。何ともあくどいではないか。
利権まみれ・金権腐敗の自民党に庶民の苦しい生活がわかるはずはない。庶民はインボイス制度で少額でも明確化が求められるのに、自民党の政治家には収支報告しない巨額のお金がある。そんなことは許されない。
派閥幹部は、政治資金規正法の連座制適用を免れた。とくに安倍派幹部は立件回避後にしゃあしゃあと還流額を公表し、釈明した。安倍派の閣僚や議員が安倍政権時代に生活保護削減の先頭に立ったことを思い出し、怒り心頭の人も多いのではないか。
抜け穴をふさいで
「羊頭狗肉」のザル法といわれる政治資金規正法だ。抜け穴のないものにしない限り、政治を歪める裏金を無くすことはできない。議員が連帯責任を負う「連座制」導入に向けた政治資金規正法改正は不可欠だ。
政治家に任せていてはできない。「政治には金がかかる」などという常識を許さない庶民の怒りの行動こそが政治を正し、民主主義を守る。
英訳版↓
No. 1341 Ruling LDP’s Fundraising Party Tickets Scandal
A bribe scandal of party tickets sales of the intraparty factions of ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has now ushered in a new dimension after the special investigation unit of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office announced criminal procedures. A problem of politics and money, however, twists democracy. The dishonor must be thoroughly investigated. Struggles to rectify politics have just started.
DON’T FOOL THE PEOPLE!
Five factions inside the LDP made earnings from selling fundraising party tickets, which was first reported by a Sunday issue of the Akahata, a weekly of the Japanese Communist Party, in November two years ago. Prof. Kamiwake Hiroshi, Kobe Gakuin University, did not perceive instinctively that the case represents simple accounting errors. Then he checked the financial reports on political organizations of those parties who had sold tickets on one hand and of those who had bought them on the other. He has found bribes to disclose them. The incident has become a criminal event.
Suspicious money must be kept secret
If the money had been recorded rightly in the funding statement, that would have been all right, people say. No! The LDP has managed loopholes of the regulative laws, taking advantage of the kick-backed extra incomes related to the fundraising events. The party members do not log inflows as they do not regard them as legitimate.
The politicians needed secret money, because they have involved in matters that violate rules of laws and democracy. Tax money amounting as much as 16 billion and 53 million yen (a total of 24 years) has been paid to the ruling LDP as grants for political activities. The recent disclosure tells us that another cash flew to the robber side.
Incidentally, Chairman Tokura Masakazu of the Keidanren, or the Japan Business Foundation, expressed openly ‘where a problem is seen’ after replying that ‘the Foundation contributes to the society’ over the fact that his organization pays approximately 2.4 billion yen to the LDP every year as political funds. If he insists on contributing to the Japanese society, he should pay money to all political parties.
A system of the political party grants was established with a presumption to abolish donations from enterprises and private organizations in order to terminate plutocracy. The statement of Chairman Tokura represents a fact that patronage politics still undergoes today. The LDP enjoys three kinds of influxes, including the fundraising events tickets. A vicious practice.
The LDP, which is corrupt, tarnished with dirty money and concessions, cannot understand harsh plight of people’s life. People in general are required to record income and expenditure actions under the Invoice Program even though the amounts are small, while the LDP politicians gain an enormous sum of money off the book. Unacceptable indeed.
Leaders of LDP’s intraparty factions are exempted from an application of the collective responsibility scheme for violating the Political Fund Control Act. A top person of the Abe Faction, in particular, made an open apology, after escaping criminal charges, and announced the sum of kick-backed money. Cabinet members and lawmakers of the Abe Faction had led the campaign to decrease aids to beneficiaries of the Life Protection Service during the time of Abe administrations. Many people get mad, remembering their attitudes.
Shut loopholes!
The Political Fund Control Act is said to be extravagant, as it has many loopholes. It is impossible to end transactions of secret money that deforms politics, unless the law prohibits exceptions. It is essential to revise the Law so as to contain a collective responsibility scheme in which lawmakers owe accountability jointly.
Relying solely on politicians cannot change the law. A notion that politics needs money must be rejected. To correct politics and defend democracy lies in people’s anger and actions.
February 7, 2024