It's nothing less than bribery -- Akahata editorial, July 28The Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) in its summer seminar discussed the "standards" for assessing political parties concerning its resumption of donations to politicians.
The Federation plans to complete the "standards" by the end of September. Corporate tax cuts, an increase in the consumption tax rate, and entry of joint stock companies into medical services and education are under discussion. Business circles and large corporations are going to donate money to politicians in order to realize their interests. This is nothing short of political bribery!
Money politics
Next year, Keidanren will resume urging firms to provide political donations based on Keidanren's "standards". Keidanren says such donations are not compulsory but its action will no doubt put pressure on other companies because Keidanren decides the specific amounts of donations and calls on member companies to follow its recommendations.
The Keidanren action is very dirty because it is tantamount to bidding for policies that accede to the demands of business circles, a flagrant attempt to buy policies.
Ten years ago, the former Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren) was forced to stop offering money to politicians because money-for-interest scandals surfaced one after another at that time, such as the "Recruit" scandal and the "Tokyo Sagawa"scandal. In order to avoid being criticized for giving money for specific policies, the former Keidanren only put up such abstract slogans as "maintain the free economic system."
Hanamura Nihachiro, who was in charge of arranging donations, preached against the compulsory donation by saying, "Donation in exchange for business interests may be a kind of bribery, so we need a certain morality here."
If a company gives politicians money as a reward for a political favor to it, the act is bribery. Keidanren donations are no different.
As the Keidanren standards for judging the performance of political parties suggest, resuming allotting money to donate to parties among its member firms clearly is bribery of politicians. Keidanren is calling for corporate tax cuts and a consumption tax rate increase. Clearly, Keidanren is giving politicians money for the purpose of having government meet business interests.
At the summer seminar, some participants reportedly expressed objections to the "standards". However, the set "standards" are not the real problem. The problem is that companies determine the amount of money given to political parties based on evaluations by the Keidanren "standards". It is natural that the Keidanren policy on political donations has drawn criticism from inside and outside of business circles.
Ban political donations
Corporations donate money to politicians as a way to exercise further economic clout with government. They prevent the citizens, who are sovereign, from taking part in politics and cause political corruption. Corporate donations should be banned in order to protect the sovereignty of the people and to root out money-for-interest scandals. (end)