December 3 & 5, 2025

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira, at a meeting of the House of Councillors Financial Affairs Committee on December 4, questioned Finance Minister Katayama Satsuki over the issue of her selling of political fundraising-party tickets to people in the banking, securities, and insurance industries.

The purchase of political fundraising tickets by corporations and other interest groups is essentially the same as making direct political donations. If someone in authority over the country’s financial administration accepts such ticket purchases and then listens to the financial industry’s demands, that constitutes a blatant case of corruption.

The “ministerial code of conduct” requires Cabinet ministers to avoid acts that could arouse public suspicion, such as accepting gifts or favors related to their positions.

At the committee meeting, Katayama told Koike that “about 800 people” attended the party, and insisted, “I hold the party every year around this time. It was scheduled before I became minister, so it does not violate the ministerial code.” However, Koike criticized her, stating, “That excuse won’t work.”

This issue was first reported by Akahata. According to Akahata, Katayama hosted a political fundraiser at a luxury hotel in Tokyo’s Minato Ward on December 1, with tickets priced at 20,000 yen each.

Akahata questioned Katayama’s office, asking whether it was morally problematic for the finance minister to sell fundraiser tickets to people involved in financial businesses. The office explained that they “set up a refund table in front of the banquet hall.” However, Akahata reporters did not observe any “refund table” near the entrance to the venue. If attendees were refunded and then allowed to participate in the party for free, they would have received a benefit from Katayama.

Koike said that it is unclear whether refunds were actually given, calling the matter “very suspicious”.