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Japanese Opposition Parties Boycott Parliament Session
Japanese opposition parties on Wednesday boycotted a House of Representatives Budget Committee session to protest the ruling coalition's handling of a money-for- favors scandal involving lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Taking part in the boycott were the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), the Liberal Party (LP), the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The four parties said that legislators linked to the scandal should testify in the Diet (parliament) before deliberations begin on the fiscal 2001 budget.
The opposition camp wants Fukushiro Nukaga, who stepped down last month as state minister in charge of economic and fiscal policy, and Masakuni Murakami, a former head of the LDP's House of Councilors members, to give sworn testimony in parliament.
The two are key figures in the scandal involving the KSD, a mutual-aid foundation for small and medium-sized businesses.
Murakami has agreed to testify under oath, but only after the budget for the upcoming fiscal year clears the House of Representatives.
Nukaga has said he will give unsworn testimony to the Political Ethics Council of the House of Representatives, which conducts its business behind closed doors.
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