boj2

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

DPJ lawmaker received 'salary' from Murakami's firm

Matsui Koji, a Democratic Party House of Councilors member, on June 20 admitted that not only his private secretaries but he himself had been paid by a subsidiary of the so-called Murakami fund.

For 15 months before and after he was elected as a House of Councilors member in July 2001, Matsui served the firm and received 1.62 million yen.

The Murakami fund was headed by Murakami Yoshiaki, who was arrested on suspicion of violating the Securities and Exchange Law. The fund gave Matsui five million yen in political donation, and Matsui invested the same amount of money in the Murakami fund and made a profit of 1.21 million yen.

Matsui stated that he has no intention to resign as a Dietmember and DPJ President Ozawa Ichiro stated, "The DPJ at this point has no plan to consider punishing him."

Watanabe Kazutoshi, Japanese Communist Party Kyoto Prefectural Committee chair, held a press conference on June 20 and stated that the connection between Matsui and the Murakami fund is too serious a political problem to overlook. He demanded that Matsui and the DPJ give the details of the scandal.
- Akahata, June 21, 2006