Japan's farm minister accepts cash gift from industry body after state subsidy granted

Japan's Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Hiroshi Moriyama on Tuesday admitted he accepted 200,000 yen (1,955 U.S. dollars) in September last year from the head of the Japan Poultry Association, while working as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's committee head dealing with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

With Tokyo Gov. Yoichi Masuzoe's resignation earlier this month for misappropriating finances, Japan's Political Funds Control Law, which prohibits bodies and companies from making donations to political activities within a year of them receiving grants from the government, is once again in the spotlight, despite Moriyama saying he returned the cash donation.

The farm minister said he received 200,000 yen in cash in an envelope from Eizo Kuriki, the head of the Japan Poultry Association.

He maintained that he initially refused the cash gift and later he instructed an aide to return the money, but this process had been delayed as the issue had been "forgotten" for a while.

A representative from the poultry association said that no money has been given to politicians, although the incident has drawn a great deal of attention because under the TPP deal the poultry industry is one that is likely to be pressured under the lifting of trade tariffs, along with other sensitive farming and agricultural sectors in Japan that for decades have only survived overseas competition due to hefty tariffs on imports.

Facing sizable losses in the value of chicken meat and egg production from joining the TPP, the farm ministry gave the poultry association 5.2 billion yen in subsidies ahead of the TPP deal, but stated that the funds were aimed at bringing stability to the industry.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that Moriyama returning the cash gift due to its intended purpose being unclear was the correct procedure and as such the matter had been "handled appropriately."

The latest incident marks the second time it has come to light recently that the poultry association has attempted to give a farm minister a cash gift.

(APD)