Paths to Tighter Political Donations Rules in Japan Remain Unclear

Tokyo, Aug. 20 (Jiji Press)--Paths to strengthen regulations on political donations from corporations and organizations in Japan remain unclear, as ruling and opposition parties are wide apart over the matter.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party plans to continue prioritizing reducing seats in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, over tightening rules on corporate political donations during a parliamentary session this autumn.

The Centrist Reform Alliance, the main opposition party in the Lower House, aims to focus attention on the issue of politics and money by highlighting allegations of financial misconduct by LDP members in the Fukuoka prefectural assembly.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi withheld comment when urged by a CRA lawmaker to tighten regulations on corporate political donations at a parliamentary meeting late last month. She only said this is a matter that "each parliamentary party and group should discuss."

During the latest parliamentary session ended in July, the CRA and the Democratic Party for the People, another opposition party, jointly introduced a bill to limit recipients of corporate political donations to party headquarters and prefectural chapters.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]