Funds raised by local chapters of major political parties and regional political organizations in all 47 prefectures during 1999 totaled 171.7 billion yen, down 2.5 percent from the previous year, according to Kyodo News calculations based on reports submitted to prefectural election administration committees.
The political organizations, whose activities are limited to a single prefecture, were to submit reports on their tax-free political funds to the committees by Tuesday.
In addition to the 171.7 billion yen, another 151.8 billion yen was raised last year by organizations active in two or more prefectures and reported to the Home Affairs Ministry.