安倍派議員の任意聴取開始　資金還流、認識や使途確認―パーティー収入問題・東京地検

　自民党の最大派閥「清和政策研究会」（安倍派）が政治資金パーティー収入の一部を議員側に還流させ裏金化していたとされる問題で、東京地検特捜部が同派議員への任意の事情聴取を始めたことが１６日、関係者への取材で分かった。
　特捜部は、派閥からのキックバックについて議員本人の認識や使途を確認するなどして実態解明を進めるとみられる。
　関係者によると、安倍派では派閥のパーティー券販売について所属議員の当選回数や役職などによってノルマが設けられ、超過分は議員側にキックバックする運用が行われてきた。ノルマ超過分は派閥や議員側の政治資金収支報告書に記載せず裏金化していた疑いが持たれている。
　大半の議員側が裏金としてキックバックを受けていたとみられ、同派全体では収支報告書の不記載・虚偽記載罪の時効にかからない２０１８～２２年の５年間で計５億円規模に上る可能性がある。（2023/12/16-20:02）

Japanese prosecutors have started noncompulsory questioning of lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's largest faction, previously led by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, over a slush fund scandal, sources said Saturday.
   The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office is apparently investigating whether lawmakers belonging to the faction, Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyukai, were aware of the alleged slush funds created from revenues from fundraising parties and how such funds were used.
   According to the sources, the faction set quotas for party ticket sales depending on the number of times its members have been elected and their positions, and revenues exceeding the quotas were kicked back to member lawmakers.
   It is suspected that the excess revenues were not recorded in political funds reports of the faction or member lawmakers' political organizations. As a result, the money is believed to have turned into slush funds.
   Most of the faction's lawmakers are suspected of receiving the kickbacks. The total amount across the faction may reach 500 million yen over the five years through 2022, within which the statute of limitations is still valid for the crime of failing to record funds or making false statements in political funds reports.