politics

Utility executives biggest political donors to LDP: report

14 Comments

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Confirms the old adage, " where there's smoke there's fire". Utility company execs gave 72% of all personal contributions, and then a nuke plant suffers a three-way meldown due to lack of proper safety measures and horrendous crisis mananement by those same execs.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It is not that much money.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Not surprising,but it would really be interesting to see who donated this money "The vast majority of the former ruling party’s 2.8 billion yen main operations fund comes from corporate donations.". that would certainly seal the fate of the LDP. But then again maybe not, this is how businesses and politicians work,money donated for favours. Tie up between big business and politics is world wide, stretching way back into history ,this has its good side and unfortunately a bad side. We keep hearing about the bad side more often now in the media, sadly the good side doesn't usually get mentioned.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Not so much money, but My guess is claim 10% or disclose 10% and give the remaining 90% in paper bags. You don't see all the ice berg from above!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@legs - agreed, in terms of actual figures, it could be said it's not that much money, but it's enough to solidify relationships, show support and expect the appropriate 'understanding' in return. Personal donations (as per the report) are rare in Japan, so these systematic personal donations take on on a deeper symbolism. Here's the breakdown of donations form another report (Kyodo):

" Donations by power firm executives were mostly made in December, suggesting they were paid systematically. Tepco executives contributed a total of ¥14.27 million, or 30.3 percent of the total.

" Chugoku Electric Power Co. executives donated ¥6.80 million. The figure was ¥6.15 million for Chubu Electric Power Co., ¥6.12 million for Shikoku Electric Power Co., ¥3.13 million for Hokuriku Electric Power Co., ¥3.04 million for Hokkaido Electric Power Co., ¥2.75 million for Kyushu Electric Power Co., ¥2.63 million for Tohoku Electric Power Co. and ¥1.86 million for Kansai Electric Power Co. Okinawa Electric Power Co. executives didn't make any donations.

" Among other findings, 141 of the 153 executives at the nine power companies made donations in 2009 to the LDP's political fund management body. "

And now we know why the LDP were so vehement in trying to kick the DPJ out right in the middle of a crisis.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

ihavegreatlegs -- hatsoff beat me to it. This was all about cementing relationships and deepening ties. Remember this is Japan, where symbolism is everything. And 72% of all personal donations is pretty symbolic.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

LDP was always the patron of these utilities.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Busniess & the LDP have long been a plague on Japan & this is a PERFECT example of it, you will see the same in contruction, & all the other K/B, bribe type industries, the LDP have set this up decades ago & is the single biggest reason Japan is in so much debt, costs are so expensive, its been perfected & made to look perfectly legal.

The big problem for Japan is that the LDP hasnt realized that Japanese can no longer afford to be ripped off since the end of the 80s & these incestous relationships are now rather rapidly destroying the country & its businesses. I was hoping that 3/11 be the thing to start an end to this deadly disease but we can all see the LDP frothing at the mouth loooking at the $$$$ they can milk from Tohoku & all Japanese, its is incredibly disgusting.

It looks to me the recent tradgey wasnt big enough to make politicians change their ways, we will be paying a steep price for this people, unless the criminals can be stopped!!!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

"While the donations amounted to only a small fraction of the Liberal Democratic Party’s operations fund, the revelation is likely to add to questions surrounding connections between power companies and politicians amid the nuclear disaster in northeastern Japan set off by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami."

Questions that will fall on deaf ears, sadly. Most foreign people I know, and a number of Japanese as well, have been saying this is fact for years -- and the reason the LDP suddenly up and said they would maintain nuclear power if voted in is simple: money. They get it from the power companies, and in turn they protect the power companies, same as construction. I hope the Japanese media makes a major issue out of this and the general public get to know -- that way they might actually get upset and vote.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Not alot of money really but why is it called donations and not Bribes ??

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Money money money must be funny in a rich mans world...pass a law banning this. Ha ha ha not going to happen. Their wage and benefits are more than enough their work pathetic LOVE to see some aggressive journalism asking questions and outing these leaches on Japanese society.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Busniess & the LDP have long been a plague on Japan

GW -- exactly. This is now the second time in the past 100 years that the population of Japan has allowed itself to be taken down the "primrose path" by their politicians -- with disasterous results. First it was the military and the mantra created around the Emperor that led to the period of colonialism and the horrendous sufferings of the war. Now it is the negative fall-out from the blind following of the LDP and their mantra of Japan Inc. Not sure if it is the LDP's fault, or the citizens for not learning from their mistakes.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

This is my surprise face: ( -_- )

These numbers reflect only what has been reported. Who knows how many other exchanges under the table have gone on...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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