Japan Parties Still Apart over Corporate Donation Rules

   Tokyo, March 30 (Jiji Press)--Japanese political parties remain at odds over a review of rules on political donations by corporations and other organizations, with the standoff likely to continue into April and later in the lead-up to this summer's election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament.
   Although Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, also head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, has pledged that he will achieve a conclusion on the matter by the end of March, it is almost impossible for parties to reach an agreement by the deadline.
   The LDP remains eager to continue allowing donations from companies and other organizations, while the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and others want to ban them in principle.
   Negotiations are likely to be centered around a proposal drawn up jointly by Komeito, the junior member of the ruling bloc, and the opposition Democratic Party for the People. The proposal calls for tougher restrictions on donations.
   "We will not give up until the end of March in urging the DPFP to join the ranks of the opposition," CDP chief Yoshihiko Noda told a press conference Friday. The CDP and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), another major opposition party, have sought to pass in parliament a bill that bans donations from companies and other organizations in principle, but they have been unable to secure majority support.

(2025/03/30-08:00)

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