 JCP lawmaker urges Koizumi to investigate donations to LDP politicians A Japanese Communist Party lawmaker criticized Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro for being reluctant to investigate the 100 million yen political donation from the Japan Dental Association through its political arm to the former Hashimoto faction of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. JCP Sasaki Kensho was speaking at the House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting on February 8 that took up the "money and politics" issue. Prime Minister Koizumi made a half-hearted reply showing his lack of ethics, saying, "This is an LDP or personal matter." The Japan Dental Association established its political action group to "have influential power on politics with money only because it is illegal for the association to make any direct political donation," Sasaki pointed out. The bribery scandal must be thoroughly investigated, and seven politicians and other persons concerned with the case, including former Prime Minister Hashimoto Ryutaro, must be summoned as witnesses before the Diet, stressed the JCP lawmaker. (end) |