Asia

Asia

Japanese cabinet ministers admit political improprieties

28 October 2014 22:31 (UTC +04:00)

Japan’s Environment Minister Yoshio Mochizuki said his support group incorrectly recorded expenditures totaling around 6.6 million yen (USD 60,000) in its funding report as spending for New Year's events in 2008 and 2009 that were not sponsored by the group.

“Various problems are piling up at the Environment Ministry. I would like to do my utmost to solve those problems,” he admitted, though emphasizing that the case did not involve illegal expenditures.

In a separate incident, a political group tied to Women’s Empowerment Minister Haruko Arimura received roughly USD 5,500 (600,000 yen) in donations in 2011 and 2012 from an organization guilty of tax evasion, Japanese media reported on Monday.

The various donations were made before the tax evasion judgment, however, and the money had been returned, Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK, cited Arimura as saying.

The revelations come a week after two cabinet ministers, Industry and Trade Minister Yuko Obuchi and Justice Minister Midori Matsushima, resigned over allegations involving the misuse of election campaign funds as well as violating electoral regulations.

Obuchi’s successor, Yoichi Miyazawa, also came under fire after admitting last week that he held 600 shares in Tokyo Electric Power Co., the operator of the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear plant that his ministry oversees.

A recent series of political scandals are widely considered as one of the biggest setbacks to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe since he took office in 2012.