Kurauchi Yukio, the former speaker of the Fukuoka prefectural assembly, denied again that he received money, holding his first news conference since he resigned. The 72-year-old's account remains far apart from the testimony of the people accusing him.
It was his first public appearance in about two and a half months, and he did not shift his position.
“I have never received money in connection with assembly personnel matters. Whether it was what you would call a car allowance or under any other name, I have never received cash that goes beyond social courtesy and violates political ethics.”Kurauchi
Kurauchi, who has been called the "don" of the Fukuoka prefectural assembly, is accused by five people who have given their names — among them former deputy and acting speakers of the assembly — of passing money to him and to other senior members of the Liberal Democratic Party's prefectural assembly caucus and prefectural federation at the time.
Golf bills and a paper bag
On the accusation that he had golf and other costs paid for him, Kurauchi said he paid his own share and that the bills had been split.
“Someone pays it all at once and the receipts are split up so we divide it. That is what we were doing.”Kurauchi
Asked whether the receipts still exist, he said they certainly should. Asked why he had not produced them, he asked why he should have to. He said he would produce them if a third-party committee asked, and that he has them.
The two sides also remain irreconcilable over a former prefectural assembly member's testimony that he handed Kurauchi 5 million yen at a ryotei — a traditional Japanese restaurant.
“I do not think the testimony is credible. The story that I was handed 5 million yen in a paper bag like that is not something I can believe.”Kurauchi
The former assembly member has said, "I am not lying."
A short news conference, and no plans for another
Near the end of the news conference, Kurauchi was asked whether 90 minutes had been short. "Short?" he replied. Asked whether he would hold another news conference to explain, he said he had no plans to at present.
He ended the news conference after 1 hour and 40 minutes and left the venue. The accusations against him have not been tested by any body that can compel the production of the receipts he says he holds.