Prosecutors also probing Nishimatsu donations to LDP lawmakers

TOKYO, March 6 Kyodo -
Prosecutors are investigating how senior Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers
received donations from two political organizations related to Nishimatsu
Construction Co., sources familiar with the matter said Friday.
While questioning Nishimatsu officials, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors
Office is planning to investigate whether the accountants of the LDP lawmakers,
including Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai, were aware of
the illegality of the donations, according to the sources.
Nishimatsu is suspected of using the two organizations as ''dummy fronts'' to
provide donations to Democratic Party of Japan leader Ichiro Ozawa in violation
of the political funds control law, which prohibits corporate donations, except
those given to political parties or their fund management organizations.
According to reports on political funds and other sources, the two
Nishimatsu-related organizations purchased around 8.4 million yen worth of
tickets for fundraising parties for the LDP faction led by Nikai between 2004
and 2006.
Nikai told reporters Friday morning that he believes the ticket purchases were
''absolutely not illegal'' and should not deserve ''any special examination.''
While declining to elaborate, Nikai said, ''I was not aware'' that the
disbanded political organizations were headed by two former executives of the
Tokyo-based construction company.
Nikai said Thursday his faction would return the money obtained from the two
organizations from a moral standpoint.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said the government has no plan to ask
Nikai about every detail of the ticket purchases as the industry minister has
already explained that it was handled properly under the law.
Kawamura, the government's top spokesman, said he was told by Nikai on Friday
morning that ''there should not be any worries at all.''
''As he says that we do not need to worry, I believe that,'' Kawamura said at a
news conference.
The Nishimatsu-linked organizations also made donations to some other senior
LDP lawmakers, including former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and former Finance
Minister Koji Omi, through their fund management bodies, according to the
reports and other sources. Mori has also decided to return the money.
Tokyo prosecutors arrested Ozawa's secretary, Takanori Okubo, 47, Nishimatsu's
former president and a former senior company employee in connection with the
charges earlier this week.
The prosecutors will consider whether they can build a case against those
working for the LDP lawmakers, according to the sources.
==Kyodo
2009-03-06 20:53:28