Scandal-tainted arms dealer bought a total of 15.6 million yen of fundraising tickets from 17 politicians in 12 years

   Akahata has learned that Yamada Corporation, a scandal-tainted arms trading firm, provided 17 politicians with a total of 15.6 million yen by purchasing tickets for fund-raising events between 1995 and 2006.

   These politicians include Finance Minister Nukaga Fukushiro, former Defense Minister Kyuma Fumio, former Regulatory Reform Minister Murakami Seiichiro, and former Defense Agency Director General Norota Hosei.

   In most cases, Yamada Corp. bought tickets up to 200,000 yen per party. The Political Funds Control Law only requires politicians to report sales of party tickets worth more than 200,000 yen. The company apparently kept capping the amount so that politicians did not need to declare the sales in their political funds reports.

   Kyuma received 100,000 yen by selling to Yamada five tickets for his party held in October 2005. Norota received 200,000 yen for his party in March 2006 but returned the money on November 20, according to his office.

   Nukaga admitted that Yamada had bought party tickets amounting to 2.2 million yen in total. However, in an Upper House audit committee meeting on November 19 he stated that he returned the money because the defense scandal involving Yamada Corp., lawmakers, and high level bureaucrats had drawn public attention.

   Murakami received a total of 600,000 yen in ticket sales for three parties held between 2004 and 2006. His office said that he is considering returning the money.

   Yamada Corp. bought tickets worth 400,000 yen for two parties hosted by Azuma Shozo, former House of Representatives member affiliated with the Democratic Party. Azuma also sold to the arms trader tickets worth 120,000 yen for a concert held by an affiliated organization.
- Akahata, November 28, 2007