Sunday, March 06, 2011

Japanese Minister Quits over Donations

Seiji Maehara announced on March 6 his resignation as Japan's Foreign Minister. Maehara bowed to pressure that he quit after it was discovered his political funds committee had accepted donations from a Korean permanent resident over a period of five years. (Japanese law prohibits political donations from non-citizens and corporations that are 51% foreign-owned.) How much did Maehara receive from the Korean friend whose restaurant the former often visited when a schoolboy?  Brace yourself: 250,000 yen, or approximately 3,000 American dollars. What would the US Chambers of Congress look like if foreign persons, corporations, and governments were forbidden to buy US politicians?      

No comments: