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Noda apologizes for receiving donations from foreign nationals

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even those who were born in Japan but do not have Japanese citizenship because of the country’s strict nationality laws.

I actually feel sorry for politicians now a day's when it comes to this particular caveat in the law. I suppose from now on all people running for public office, in particular elections for the Diet, are going to have to ask, or have their supporters ask ahead of time, if they are Japanese citizens or not.

It's understandable that donations from obviously foreign sources should be outlawed but when it's from a permanent resident of Japan that has had family living here for generations and in many cases "looks" Japanese it's going a bit too far in my opinion.

If you think about this from the point of view of us that live here with PR status, and have been here for in many cases decades, it is bothersome to know that the government here can collect our taxes, treat us exactly the same as Japanese citizens, refuse us in many cases the ability to take Japanese citizenship, and then screw us even further by not allowing us to support (monetarily) candidates for public office of our choice.

5 ( +8 / -4 )

As minor as this seems, I somehow suspect the opposition are going to use this to drag parliament into gridlock again. Wasting time calling for his resignation rather than getting on with the business of rebuilding Japan.

5 ( +7 / -3 )

beginning of the end

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Well, that didn't take long. I guess Noda won't even last a year. However, instead of concentrating on the real problems facing their country (and screwing it up big time) I'm glad to see the Diet is maintaining its amateur status.

2 ( +5 / -4 )

this just adds more reason to give executive power back to the emperor.

-13 ( +2 / -14 )

Purity doesn't exist in politics.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

And he is worried about how Oympus makes Japan look? The ficard is cracking

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Noda out!

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Tell me that you actually thought that it was going to be any different this time around?

I look at the JN Politicians and if they don't "smile", they are only have their own personal agenda and won't last...

Just try it...watch the tube and if they smile on a regular basis...they normally have some good policies and are trying their best for the people...if they always have that stupid, "I'm a Diet member, get the hell out of my way" look...they are up to no good and won't last long...

This could make a great comedy sitcom!!!

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Here we go again...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Hah and here we go again. its like a deja vu with EACH PM. Hatoyama then Kan and now him, seriously politics here is so ridiculous its starting to get funny. But at least we know 1 thing to expect from the future PM, they received money from a non JP. meh

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Less about the law and more about xenophobia as usual.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

If an apology and returning the money is all that's needed, why do you have laws then?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Pathetic. From my understanding, those 'foreigners" are second or third generation Koreans who were born and raised in Japan. If they can't vote, it would at least be nice to allow them to support the party they like via donations, if they want. Japan needs to get over its anti-immigration and xenophobia and get with the times.

2 ( +6 / -5 )

Oh dear, after Mr Noda finished giving out critisising Olypus for their financial dealings and hoy they reflect on Japans corporate integrity, he ends up knee deep in the mucky brown stuff himself

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Noda wants to be yoda but hes nada

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Noda may become the fastest turn around for PM yet.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Mountains out of molehills........

1 ( +3 / -2 )

For people who plan on living in Japan for the remainer of their lives, we should be prepared to have an Occupy Diet Street if there is any attempt to remove Noda. Japan cannot afford any more political theater in these desperate times.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Why is it illegal to receive donations from foreigners?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Can't avoid when so many immigrants each trying very hard to hide their origins. However this serves as a reminder to throughly check who they are and where the money is from---hard job.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

"Why is it illegal to receive donations from foreigners?"

gogogo: I guess the word that comes to mind is subversion : "Damaging or weakening the power of an established system or institution."

0 ( +0 / -0 )

OK, then why temples receive our donations gladly! And as far as I know New Komeito is supported by religious group that very possibly receives donations from foreigners directly or indirectly.

I am really stunt how politicians here are only on the defensive stance. Democratic party in power should have used counter attack in many cases - not only on this issue but also more important things like the inherited problems with nuclear power management, etc., etc.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The most anticipated movie of the year is coming to theaters near you.

**" XENOPHOBIA THE MOVIE "**

Starring a group of politicians afraid of their own shadow and worried in a total panic about alittle change & a different outlook.

whiskeysour magazine - This is the most epic and realistic movie of modern time 4 stars kudos panicbutton magazine - This movie is gritty and true great acting outstanding

To bad Peru and other countries around the world act alittle differently than Japan. Maybe that's a good thing.

They just lost the Olympic bid for at least 2000 more years.

-4 ( +0 / -3 )

And I approve this message

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

All Koreans and Chinese born here can have Japanese nationality

I'm not sure if that is strictly true. Can anyone confirm this?

Anyway, I can't understand why foreigners even want to give their hard-earned cash to any Japanese politician, considering they are not being represented by them in any manner. If you are a foreigner lucky enough to have some spare cash, donate it to a Tohoku (or other) charity!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

For people who plan on living in Japan for the remainer of their lives, we should be prepared to have an Occupy Diet Street

Be careful, or you may end up occupying a detention cell awaiting deportation!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Only one word to describe this: RIDICULOUS.

Only happens in Japan. The japanese are giving much attention to crap.

Japanese prime ministers and all the japanese people should apologize for other things, not this. Its a shame.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I've spoken with a few Japanese people over what constitutes "Japanese".

The case Patrick Smash talks about above is one side, then there is the other side where someone with Japanese parents & granparents who is born and raised overseas, and then "returns" to Japan is not considered Japanese either.

What kind of cake-and-eat-it thinking is that?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Are donations from Zainichi Koreans considered foreign? Is there a connection with that issue?

Yes, and this is where the problem originates from. There is in many cases no way to know without actually asking the person in question. You could grow up with them and never know they were anything other than Japanese.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

"so that no foreign power can have influence over decisions made by politicians and ensure they have no influence over important elections."

If this is the reason why it's illegal for Japanese politicians to receive donations from "foreigners" then it shows the utter absurdity of the whole situation. Because guess which Japanese political party received probably millions of US dollars in funds from foreign sources throughout the 1950s and 1960s? That's right, the LDP, best friend of the anti-communist US government. No wonder the Japan Socialist Party never had a chance. So much for ensuring that foreigners have no influence over important elections in Japan.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Noda, you terrible Prime Minister resign IMMIDIATELY! You and your corrupt government and ministers are taking money from foreigners to influence policies of JAPAN! Foreigners should never vote in Japan or influence politics, this is a sovereign nation! Not a state of too terrible China or the Koreas! NODA MUST QUIT NOW!

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Japan is "Jus sanguinis" so.....

Article 2 of the Nationality Act (Law No.147 of 1950) provides three situations in which a person can become a Japanese national at birth: 1. When either parent is a Japanese national at the time of birth, 2. When the father dies before the birth and is a Japanese national at the time of death, and 3. When the person is born on Japanese soil and both parents are unknown or stateless

so no, looks like it doesn't matter how many generations back it goes. If someone is of ancestry other than Japanese, they aren't Japanese according to Japan.

Many western countries operate on the principle of "Jus soli" (or a mix of both) which basically recognizes citizenship as something granted to those born in the nation's territory.

As much as I think that the concept of jus sanguinis is the stupidest thing I have ever heard, A Japanese national nay, the nation of Japan raised under this concept, would likely be prone to think we insane that we thought anything OTHER than blood makes someone a certain nationality....

still, it is stupid.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

I have some zainichi-korean friends here. They said more zainichi South Koreans tend to be naturalized than zainichi North Koreans. They have a choice to stay Koreans or be Japanese, but those who want to stay zainichi Koreans have strong identity of being Korean. My zainichi korean friends barely speak Korean language. They were using fake Japanese names until starting college because they went to a public Japanese school and they would be bullied by having Korean names. One of my friends said he wishes he could be naturalized to be a Japanese but his father said no to him.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

All readers, please stay on topic. The subject is political donations from foreign nationals.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

** All Koreans and Chinese born here can have Japanese nationality

I'm not sure if that is strictly true. Can anyone confirm this?**

Not everyone can though. And even if they do take on Japanese nationality, making them eligible to donate, many Japanese won't agree to them being Japanese. Take a look at the other foreigners who nationalize and how they get treated. Seems only okay when it comes to sports.

If Japanese would allow dual citizenship many of these problems would go away. Until then, no donations by 'Koreans".

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

@Mr/Ms. Moderator It is very important to know some background knowledge related to this topic in order to stay on topic with further discussion.

Moderator: The nationality of the donors has not been revealed.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Mahiru Shiratori - True. It helps understand the bigger picture if you have a background, which the stories usually don't provide.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I think politicians the world over receives money from foreigners or foreign organizations

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

The Sankei shimbun is reporting that they were of South Korean nationality from Chiba prefecture.

http://sankei.jp.msn.com/affairs/news/111031/crm11103121030015-n1.htm

2 ( +3 / -1 )

All Koreans and Chinese born here can have Japanese nationality

I think you need to clarify your statement here because this is not true. Example: a Chinese couple comes to Japan on vacation and the wife gives birth here. Their child does not get Japanese citizenship.

Anyone living here for any length of time can apply for Japanese citizenship if they so choose. Whether or not they are accepted is another story.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Professor Donald Keane,88 who recently retired and moved to Tokyo could now make donations

Hasn't he given enough?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Funding laws in Japan bar politicians from receiving any money from non-Japanese, even those who were born in Japan but do not have Japanese citizenship because of the country’s strict nationality laws.

It's because of medieval/archaic/stone-age laws like these that this country will forever sink in the sea of doom. Failure to embrace globalization is nothing but rotten-to-the-core xenophobia. They deliberately REFUSE to change!!

One more thing to feel deeply ashamed of being born in this country, what an utter disgrace~

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

This should hopefully accelerate the fall of the DPJ. Has any one party in Japan's history failed so quickly at attempting to establish leadership? If so it really doesn't matter, since the DPJ is thoroughly rotten to the core. The party founded by Hatoyama's mum is committing crimes left and right by accepting these illegal campaign funds. Both the donor and the receiver have committed crimes in these cases. Saying "I didn't know" the person was a foreigner is not an excuse! It's the same thing as getting drunk, driving and killing someone and then claiming "I didn't know" it was the law. As a lawmaker, it's their responsibility to know both the law and who they are receiving money from.

Noda needs to resign now. The National Police Agency as well as the Diet ethics committee both need to open investigations today.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

If its happen in Thailand. The Thai's premier will said "That's no problem at all, its normal". Because Thai's Government always corruption as usual.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

because of the country’s strict nationality laws.

The writer is badly misinformed. The requirements for acquiring Japanese nationality are clearly spelled out and are not particularly difficult. I'm not sure what is the number of Japanese today who were once formerly holders of foreign passports, but it is certainly in the hundreds of thousands and possibly in the millions. Many were former prewar colonials (Koreans and Taiwanese) and many were foreign passport holders married to Japanese citizens who who chose to naturalize.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This law, taken to a logical conclusion, would forbid anyone but the Ainu from voting/donating, as all so-called Japanese, when traced back far enough (a couple of/few millenia), are from other parts of Asia!

Though even the Ainu came from somewhere else way before that...

Wholly uncivilised behaviour.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Oh well, Sadaharu Oh and half the rikishi can keep their millions.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

whoops! calm down please,

0 ( +0 / -0 )

To zichi - The New Komeito does not receive donations from a religious group, I suppose you must mean the Soka Gakkai. It may receive donations from people who are members of that group.

At Japanese right says that Sokka Gakkai is a religion North Korean and their leader Daisaku Ikeda has descendant North Korean,his real name would Son Tae Chuk.

I personally am against the financing of political campaigns by foreign,The reasons are obvious,or someone in this forum still believe in Santa Claus?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Wonder when the J-media would ever stop making this sort of third-rate political satire. Never. Because that's their job, unfortunately. Just like US, UK, and many countries in the west, media is functioning as a political machine of manufacturing consent.

Regarding the issue, the problem is not politician's inability to understand the law against political donations. It is the law itself! Noda is not the first person who falls into the cracks due to the systematic deficiency within legal frameworks--ambiguous language on the classification of contributors ("foreign," "fund-raisers," "lobbyists," etc. ). Moreover, media framing of political scandal tweaks anti-foreign sentiment-- which is groundless and doesn't do justice to other means of contributions deemed illegal--i.e., corporations. Saying political donation is bad in a way to instigate people for the stigmatization of particular donators --foreign residents, and framing those who question the powers-that-be as a part of the problem-- and hence, subject to accusation of J-bashing--is simply, disingenuous.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

you mean the japanese still doesn't have online site where donation is a mouse click away ( without asking for citizenship number )? How primative.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

zichi: "Anyone, including me can apply to become a Japanese national, I think about doing it sometimes."

You need to qualify that. Not 'anyone' can apply at all, as is proven by the fact that Japan has the worst record of accepting refugees of any G8 nation, and in fact often send them back home (where they are sadly not heard from again). That said, SURE YOU can apply for and get citizenship, but show the hotspring that will let you in when you show them your passport colour (after they denied you for not being true blood).

Noda did what Maehara did, and he should also resign. It's trendy these days to do so for a Japanese PM, so do it while the going's good.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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