1.5-M.-Yen Fine Sought for Ex-Lawmaker Ono over Funds Scandal

Tokyo, March 26 (Jiji Press)–Japanese public prosecutors on Thursday sought a fine of 1.5 million yen for former Japanese lawmaker Yasutada Ono for allegedly failing to record a portion of revenue in political funds reports in a high-profile “slush funds” scandal involving factions of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. In the trial at Tokyo District Court, prosecutors also sought a fine of 500,000 yen for Ono’s former policy secretary Yoshiko Iwata. The defendants’ acts helped increase public distrust of politics and therefore were malicious, the prosecution said. In contrast, Ono, 66, and Iwata, 62, claimed again that they are not guilty. The court will hand down a ruling on June 23. Prosecutors argued that Ono, a former member of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament, and Iwata had no books or dedicated bank accounts to manage kickbacks from party ticket sales revenues that exceeded the quota, and that they recognized the funds as a donation to the “Taishikai” fund management organization. The prosecution also said that they failed to inform staff members of Ono’s office of the receipt of the kickbacks and had them submit false income and expenditure reports, adding that it is clear the action violated the political funds control law. Pointing out that the money was used to pay credit card bills and cover office expenses, the prosecution severely criticized Ono. “His criminal responsibility as the person who had the authority to make final decisions is serious.” According to the indictment, Ono and Iwata failed to record in 2018-2022 a total of 51 million yen in kickbacks from the now-defunct LDP faction once headed by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Taishikai’s political funds reports in violation of the political funds control law. The defense countered by saying that faction executives and secretariat officials had provided no explanation on how to handle the returned money, and that Ono and Iwata recognized it as “deposits” that should be managed by Ono’s office. It claimed that the preparation of the income and expenditure reports had been delegated to staff members in charge and that there had been no collusion in falsifying the reports. In his final statement, Ono said, “I deeply regret that I caused distrust in politics, but I did not know of the falsification at all.” In the scandal, criminal charges have been pressed against 12 people, including four then lawmakers. Guilty rulings or summary orders have been finalized for eight of them, including the former chief accountant of a faction. Ono is the first indicted former lawmaker to stand trial in the slush funds scandal, and the amount he allegedly failed to report is the largest among the former lawmakers involved. Yoshitaka Ikeda, 59, a former member of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, and his former policy secretary, 47, have been indicted on suspicion of failing to report a total of about 48 million yen in similar kickbacks. The first court hearing of their trial has yet to be scheduled. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]