TOKYO: Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi was the top political fundraiser in the cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2018, a Jiji Press tally of reports submitted to authorities by political parties and groups showed Friday.

Motegi raised 155.02 million yen in political funds, followed by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso, who ranked top the previous year, with 151.56 million yen, and Prime Minister Abe, with 140.33 million yen.

National Public Safety Commission Chairman Ryota Takeda came fourth, followed by Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, and Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Katsunobu Kato.

The top eight ministers each collected more than 100 million yen. Takeda, Nishimura and Koizumi are rookie ministers.

Motegi, who was economic and fiscal policy minister in 2018, raised a total of 84.67 million yen through political fundraising parties he held three times in Tokyo and once in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, eastern Japan.

Aso was the top fundraiser in donations from businesses and groups, raising 67.83 million yen from them. In a party he held in March 2018, he collected 61.66 million yen.

Abe raised the most in donations from individuals, at 21.26 million yen.

Takeda was the top earner in terms of business income, including revenue from fundraising parties, with 107.54 million yen.

On average, Abe and his cabinet ministers raised 88.97 million yen. At the bottom of the list was Regional Revitalization Minister Seigo Kitamura, at 29.60 million yen.

JIJI Press