Muraoka acquitted of hiding donation | 日本のニュースを英語で読むならジャパンタイムズウィークリー


	UPDATE: Saturday, June 12, 2010 The Japan Times Weekly 2006年4月8日号（バックナンバー）

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Muraoka acquitted of hiding donation

The Tokyo District Court found former Liberal-Democratic Party heavyweight Kanezo Muraoka not guilty March 30 of concealing a ¥100 million donation from the nation's dental lobby to the then top LDP faction in July 2001.

Kanezo Muraoka speaks at a media conference March 30.

Muraoka was accused of playing a key role in illegally concealing the unreported donation, which was made by the Japan Dental Association to the LDP's Heisei Study Group. Muraoka was acting chairman of the faction, headed by former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto.

During the trial, the faction treasurer, Toshiyuki Takigawa testified that it was Muraoka who persuaded the faction's leaders to hide the donation from the annual political funds report it submitted to the government in March 2002.

But the court judged that Takigawa's testimony was "not credible," and concluded it was possible he falsely blamed Muraoka to divert attention from other key members of the faction, including Hashimoto.

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