Two recent moves by judiciary and law-enforcement authorities are a grave warning against the Liberal Democratic Party's pork-barrel politics. One is the Supreme Court rejection of an appeal by former Construction Minister Kishiro Nakamura against a Tokyo High Court ruling that found him guilty of taking a bribe from a construction company. He is to serve 18 months in jail and pay 10 million yen in fines. It is the first time that a Diet member has received a final conviction under a law that bans the taking of bribes through political mediation.
The other move is the arrest of two members of the LDP's Nagasaki prefectural chapter by public prosecutors on charges of receiving illegal donations from local public works contractors in connection with a Nagasaki gubernatorial election. One of the two men is the chapter's former secretary general; the other is director of its secretariat.
Both cases are a fresh reminder of the sordid money ties that bind public works contractors and influential politicians.