Prosecutors also probing Nishimatsu donations to LDP lawmakers+

TOKYO, March 6 Kyodo -
(EDS: UPDATING WITH REMARKS OF NIKAI, ASO, OTHER INFO IN 5TH-9TH GRAFS)
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 the House of Councillors Budget Committee he did not recognize that
the disbanded political organizations which purchased the tickets were dummy
fronts, saying, ''I've not been aware that what kind of groups they were since
we were holding parties.''
''I've never scrutinized each time what the groups were for or who were heading
them,'' Nikai said, adding, ''I believe (the accounts) are handled properly in
accordance with the political funds control law.''
Nikai said Thursday his faction would return the money obtained from the two
organizations from a moral standpoint.
Prime Minister Taro Aso told reporters that Nikai credibly explained the
matter. But he stopped short of saying whether Nikai's faction has any problem
which may lead to compulsory investigations by the prosecutors.
''That is what the investigative authorities decide,'' Aso said.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura separately 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 21:27:27