Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba recently faced questions and challenges in the Lower House Budget Committee regarding a proposal to prohibit political contributions from companies, an initiative put forth by the opposition led by Yoshihiko Noda. Ishiba pushed back against the suggestion, emphasizing that such a ban would encroach upon the freedom of expression that businesses possess. Instead of advocating for a complete prohibition, Ishiba proposed the idea of transparently disclosing all donations made by companies and organizations, asserting that this measure would be more appropriate.
Moreover, Ishiba addressed concerns about the potential influence of corporate donations on policy decisions, stating that he did not recall any instances where such contributions had distorted government actions. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party, under Ishiba's guidance, put forth a revision proposal for the Political Fund Control Law, which notably did not incorporate a provision to bar donations from companies and organizations. This stood in contrast to Noda's call for legislative adjustments before the end of the year to enforce a ban on corporate contributions.