When a False Report Is Worse Than None
In Japan, falsely reporting a political donation that exceeds the legal limit is worse than not reporting it at all.
That became clear Monday as prosecutors issued a summary indictment and imposed a slap-on-the-wrist fine of $1,666 on Shin Kanemaru, 78, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party kingpin, for accepting a $4.1 million political contribution from Sagawa Kyubin, a parcel delivery company.
But for Kiyoshi Kaneko, 60, who received $833,000 from the same company, prosecutors filed an official indictment to bring the former Niigata governor to trial.
Both donations exceeded the legal limit. Kaneko filed a falsified report of the donation he received, while Kanemaru filed no report. Falsifying a report is punishable by up to five years in jail or a fine of $2,500, while the maximum fine for not reporting is $1,666.
The formal conviction, however, threatens to weaken the influence of Kanemaru, Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa’s chief source of support in the ruling party.
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