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Japan Political Funds Linked to Scandal

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<i> Associated Press</i>

Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and nine other Japanese politicians received a total of $685,000 in donations from groups linked to a bribery scandal, a national newspaper said Thursday.

Without citing its sources, the Mainichi Shimbun said Hashimoto’s two political organizations received $41,000 between 1990 and 1993 from the groups, which are linked to a nursing home developer who is accused of bribing Health Ministry officials.

Hashimoto said he had done nothing improper in accepting the money, but nonetheless he ordered an investigation.

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Mainichi said the political organizations of Health and Welfare Minister Junichiro Koizumi had also received $40,300 from the groups, set up by the Japan Hospital Bedclothes Assn. and the Japan Medical Meals Assn. Both groups are headed by Shiro Murata, a shareholder in the J.W.M. Co. founded by nursing home developer Hiroshi Koyama.

Koyama was arrested Monday on charges of bribing a former Health Ministry official to win approval and subsidies to operate nursing homes.

The newspaper said eight other politicians also received money from the groups.

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