Ryutaro Hashimoto

Hashimoto said he will leave Heisei Ken- kyukai (Heisei Study Group) and not run from his single-seat constituency in the next Lower House election.

Hashimoto reportedly said that he might run in the proportional representation part of the ballot if he receives backing from the party.

The faction has been rocked by allegations that it did not report as a political donation a check for ¥100 million Hashimoto received from the political arm of the Japan Dental Association in July 2001.

Hashimoto reportedly received the check from then-Japan Dental Association Chairman Sadao Usuda, 73, in the presence of other faction executives.

But the money was not listed in the faction's annual political donation report -- a violation of the Political Funds Control Law.

The faction admitted it received the donation, but Hashimoto had claimed he does not remember receiving the check from Usuda, who has been arrested in connection with other alleged offenses.

The Japan Times Weekly: Aug. 7, 2004
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