Japanese Ministers involved political fund fraud

TOKYO, Jan 11: Two Japanese cabinet ministers and a ruling party executive were involved in dubious reporting of political funds, media said, the latest hint of scandal to threaten Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's popularity in a key election year.

The reports follow the resignation in December of another minister over a similar scandal and could fuel an opposition attack in a parliament session that starts this month.

Media reports said Education Minister Bunmei Ibuki and Farm Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka had both declared substantial office expenditures when their offices were in fact rent-free.

The Mainichi Shimbun said today that ruling party policy chief Shoichi Nakagawa had done the same.

Ibuki acknowledged yesterday that he had included other spending, such as rt of office costs, but stressed that there had been no inappropriate use of political funds.

Matsuoka also told reporters that there was no wrongdoing, while Nakagawa could not be reached for comment.

The Mainichi said office expenditures, which do not require receipts, were often used as a cover for other spending and hence called by some as a ''hotbed for illicit activities'', quoting an unnamed secretary to a lawmaker.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki urged lawmakers to file proper financial statements, but declined to comment on the reports.

''Every politician must properly report their income and spending,'' he said. ''They have an obligation to explain it to the public.'' Abe has seen his support ratings drop from around 65 percent when he took office in September to below 50 per cent, according to surveys by Kyodo news agency, and the opposition has vowed to keep up the pressure on the prime minister over the recent string of scandals ahead of an upper house election in July.

But the largest opposition party may have its hands tied as the Mainichi said the policy chief of the Democratic Party had also filed sizable office expenditures despite receiving free rent.

Reuters