Political groups linked to Toshiaki Endo, the newly appointed minister in charge of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, received millions of yen in donations from executives at a meat producer on the same day in 2013, political funds reports showed Wednesday, raising questions about their propriety.
If the executives had used company money for these outlays, it could be a violation of the Political Funds Control Act, which bans companies from making donations to entities other than political parties and groups set up for parties' fundraising activities.
But Endo told reporters Wednesday the donations were "contributions from individuals" and they had been processed "appropriately." The top government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, told a press conference that he sees "no problem" with the donations.