Japan Ruling Bloc Vows to Improve Policy Funds Transparency

Tokyo, May 7 (Jiji Press)--Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, agreed Tuesday to improve transparency over the use of policy activity funds provided by political parties to member lawmakers.

They reached the agreement as part of working-level talks on revising the political funds control law in the wake of a high-profile slush fund scandal involving LDP lawmakers.

How policy activity funds are used needs not be disclosed. Some LDP members are calling for requiring lawmakers to disclose how such funds are used item-by-item.

The LDP and Komeito also plan to expand the scope of buyers of fundraising party tickets whose names are disclosed. Under the current law, the names of those paying at least 200,000 yen for such tickets at one time are subject to disclosure. Komeito is calling for the minimum amount to be lowered to 50,000 yen.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister and LDP President Fumio Kishida directed party executives to draw up the ruling camp's draft for revising the political funds control law by the end of this week.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]