Former Nishimatsu president found guilty

Japan Press Weekly

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

Former Nishimatsu president found guilty

The Tokyo District Court on July 17 sentenced former Nishimatsu Construction Co. President Kunisawa Mikio to 16 months in prison, suspended for three years, for violating the Political Funds Control Law over the Nishimatsu's illegal political donation scandal.

The judge said that Kunisawa used dummy political action groups to donate 50 million yen to former Democratic Party of Japan President Ozawa Ichiro through his fund-management body "Rikuzankai" and 3.4 million yen to Economic, Trade and Industry Minister Nikai Toshihiro as payments for tickets to a fundraiser held by his political organization "Atarashiinami".

The ruling stated that by using dummy political action groups for donations to Ozawa and Nikai, Kunisawa deliberately evaded the law designed to ensure the absence of corruption in political fund donations.

Acknowledging that Ozawa has had influence over general construction companies involved in bid-rigging, the presiding judge Yamaguchi Masataka pointed out that Nishimatsu made donations to Ozawa in order to establish a good relationship with Ozawa's secretary who had influence over decisions regarding which companies get orders for public works projects in both Iwate and Akita Prefectures.

Yamaguchi also recognized that the reason why Nishimatsu used dummy groups to buy Nikai's political organization's fundraising-party tickets was to conceal Nishimatsu's name.

Regarding the Nishimatsu illegal political fund scandal, Ozawa's secretary was arrested on the charge of violating the law.

Both Ozawa and Nikai, as politicians, should be held accountable for their acceptance of illegal donations.

- Akahata, July 18, 2009