DPJ lawmaker has maintained close relationship with rightists

The Akahata Sunday Edition in its January 11 issue ran a story about close connections between Democratic Party Lower House member Nishimura Shingo and a rightist organization which has threatened some politicians and a North Korea-related organization in Japan with guns.

The rightist organizations, "Kokuzoku Seibatsutai" (the traitor punishment corps) and "Kenkoku Giyugun" (the nation-building volunteer brigade), were established by Murakami Ichiro (54), who chaired an association of Japanese sword aficionados. Twelve members of the association were arrested in relation to the assaults.

Nishimura, who has been a senior adviser to the association, received a total of 2.1 million yen in donations in the past five years from a firm run by Murakami. Murakami's group fully supported Nishimura in the latest House of Representatives general election.

When he was elected, Nishimura contributed to the Murakami group's monthly ("Information on Sword and Knife") an article "Cheers for Japan, and cheers for Japanese spirit" expressing thanks for their support.

Since Murakami's arrest it took more than one week before Nishimura met the press and asserted that he had not been aware of Murakami's involvement in the assaults. He made it clear that he would not return the money he received from Murakami. The Democratic Party is keeping silent on this affair.

In line with Tokyo governor Ishihara

Tokyo governor Ishihara Shintaro has a close relationship with Nishimura. In 1997, both took part in landing on the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which Japan and China are involved in a territorial dispute.

Also, in a book Nishimura published in 2003, both cheered each other while dealing a blow to the Foreign Ministry's response to the abduction incident by North Korea, saying: "Such traitors should have been killed if it were decades ago with righteous persons" (Ishihara) and "I cannot hold back my anger against such traitors" (Nishimura).

When the Murakami group planted a bomb at a senior Foreign Ministry official's residence, Ishihara stated that it is no surprise that such a politician is attacked with a bomb, drawing public criticism.

Mizoguchi Atsushi, a journalist specializing in rightist affairs says, "After the War, the minimum requirement for politicians should be to cut any relations with gangsters and rightist groups. Nishimura is responsible for breaking the rule."

He went on to say: "There exists a kind of atmosphere regarding North Korea with hostility that even favors terrorism so long as they accord with anti-North Korea policy. We must severely criticize some political parties and politicians for encouraging rightist terrorists." (end)