Date: Tue, 30 Sep 1997 00:02:58 -0400 (EDT)
From: Louis R Godena <louisgodena-AT-ids.net>
Subject: M-I: Communists richest Japanese political party



While "mainstream" Japanese political parties struggle to raise money in the
face of skyrocketing expenditures, one political party is riding high all
the way to the bank.

As further testimony to its growing political clout, the Communist Party was
recently named (in a report released by the Ministry of Home Affairs) the
richest in all of Japanese politics, with assets far in excess of 30 billion
yen.  Its nearest rival, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party could only ante
up around 26 billion yen, and only as a result of some highly dubious bank
"loans".  The formerly powerful Socialist party (now wearing the handle of
"social democratic") saw its revenues shrink by more than 30%, as did the
coffers of its erstwhile partner in the ruling coalition, the New Frontier
Party (Shinshinto).      

While all political parties, funding organizations and political groups
collected about 167 billion yen in 1996 (a drop of more than 2%), spending
by these same organizations rose nearly 10% to 180 billion yen.  Only the
Communists were able to exponentially increase their earnings, owing to a
surge in membership in recognition of their new status as Japan's chief
opposition party, as well as to the party's ownership of lucrative tv and
newspaper companies.  Too, the Communist's well-known refusal to accept
public subsidies has further burnished its image as a staunch corruption
fighter.  Its well-advertised wealth, particularly in a milieu of economic
retrenchment, has promoted further the party's self-image as a tightly run
and highly disciplined organization.

Louis Godena

*Business News Asia*, September 29, 1997; *The Nikkei Weekly*, September 22,
1997; *Japan Times*, September 27, 1997.   



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