New Democratic Party Member Exposes Shocking Use of Old Communication Expenses

Amazing “after-the-fact” response

When asked about the two receipts from the Takezume office, the response was:

“As for the 2023 research and public relations travel expenses, they have been disclosed as per the records. Regarding the usage, as stipulated by the National Diet Law and the Salary Law, these funds are used for activities related to national governance research, public relations, interaction with the public, and staying in relevant areas. As for the scope of usage and the method of disclosure under the revised Salary Law on August 1 this year, discussions between the ruling and opposition parties are still ongoing, so we will follow the results of those discussions. That is all.”

The answer was as brief as a response that could be framed and hung as a calligraphy work.

After informing the office of the leader of the Democratic Party for the People (currently suspended from office), Yuichiro Tamaki, about the matter, I visited Takezume’s office directly. The secretary in charge of accounting awkwardly admitted, 

“He hadn’t received a health checkup for a while, so we made him take one. But perhaps the human dock should not have been listed.”

Then the secretary continued, 

“As for the 1.17 million yen from Eikokuya (for a suit), it was for a new morning suit. Since I will attend ceremonies and garden parties at the Imperial Palace, I considered renting, but rental options for an 8-piece set at Ginza Eikokuya were about 110,000 yen, so I decided buying it was cheaper in the long run, given I will be a member for 12 years.”

It’s also said that the full amount of the old communication expenses is withdrawn from Takezume’s bank account on the day they are deposited and is managed by his office.

“I know there are various evaluations and I have to think about different voices,” added the secretary.

After this interview, Takezume’s office sent an update, stating, 

“The human dock and morning suit expenses have been deemed inappropriate for the old communication expenses, so they have been removed. Additionally, in accordance with the regulations, 1.36 million yen was donated to a political organization.” The relevant receipts have also been removed from the party’s website.

The details of the old communication expenses will be discussed in future parliamentary debates. At the very least, there should be a clear distinction between public and private matters.