Japan Ruling Parties Remain Apart on Funds Law Revisions

Tokyo, May 8 (Jiji Press)--Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, on Wednesday remained apart on key issues in their working-level talks on revising the political funds control law in the wake of a high-profile slush funds scandal.

The issues include whether to require disclosure of information on how policy activity funds provided by political parties to member lawmakers are used and whether to expand disclosure of the names of buyers of fundraising party tickets.

The LDP is considering requiring political parties to disclose the item-by-item amounts of policy activity funds provided. It is unclear, however, whether this could help show how such funds are used by lawmakers who receive them.

Komeito is calling for requiring lawmakers to draw up statements on how they used such funds.

The two sides are in agreement to expand the scope of fundraising party ticket buyers whose names are disclosed, but failed to decide to what extent they will do this.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]