The Democratic Party of Japan on Tuesday submitted to the Diet a bill to revise the Political Funds Control Law, which calls for banning politicians from receiving political donations from companies and other organizations beginning in January 2000.
The current Political Funds Control Law only stipulates, in its rider, that certain measures should be sought before January 2000 toward banning politicians from receiving such donations.
Some members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party are trying to postpone the introduction of any ban for three years.
The DPJ is trying to block the LDP members' move and ensure the ban goes into effect as stipulated in the law, party officials said.
The bill proposed by the DPJ effectively prohibits companies and organizations, including labor unions, from donating money to be used for political activities. Also, the bill bans politicians from requesting companies and other bodies for political donations.
The bill sets penalties of up to 500,000 yen in fines or imprisonment of less than one year.