LDP Draft on Political Reform

The working team of Political Reform Headquarters in Liberal Democratic Party wrapped up a draft for amendment of Political Funds Control Act. To enhance transparency of management of political funds, the draft requires each lawmaker to issue “certification” when submitting political fund report. If a false in the report found guilty in the court, the lawmaker will lose the seat in certain conditions. Although LDP explain the draft as a strict rule for not repeat the slush fund scandal, the opposition parties criticize it as insufficient.

The discussion over revising Political Funds Control Act is the biggest issue in the Diet after LDP imposed penalties on thirty-nine lawmakers who had been involved in receiving secret fund from the factions in early April. Both Houses of the Diet established special committees for discussing amendment of the act.

 

The draft proposed by LDP adds a provision requiring lawmaker’s responsibility for overseeing management of political fund report usually handled by accounting manager. Once the lawmaker confirmed appropriate management, he or she issues a certification. If the certification is issued with false recording, the lawmaker will legally be punished. LDP argues that the new rule will effectively work as same as the rule in Public Offices Election Act, which cancels victory of a candidate whose staff is found guilty in illegal activities such as bribery.

 

If some amount of fund were not recorded on the political fund report, the lawmaker needs to make a same amount of payment to the national government. While current law requires audit on the spendings of lawmaker’s related political organization, new rule proposed by LDP will expand it to the income of the organization.

 

LDP did not show any concrete idea to regulate allowance for lawmaker’s political activities or abolition of fundraising party. The party’s draft also did not refer to the regulation of “policy activities fund,” which would not require disclosure on how it was spent. Although the opposition party demand prohibition of donation from companies or organizations, LDP ignored that issue.

 

The opposition parties’ requirement for political reform is far from LDP’s draft. Most opposition parties argue that a lawmaker whose accounting manager was involved in false management of political fund should resign as a member of the Diet without any condition such as submitting “certification.” Constitutional Democratic Party demands total prohibition of fundraising party, while Japan Innovation Party and Japan Communist Party requires abolition of policy activities fund.

 

LDP’s coalition partner, Komeito, was also disappointed with LDP’s draft, which did not show a bold step toward stricter regulation on political fund. Komeito hopes to disclose information of the ticket sales of fundraising party and of how the policy activities fund was spent. LDP is going to discuss on the details about the reform with Komeito before the discussion in the Diet.