Local News

Starting in FY 2008, members of the Beppu City Council were required to append receipts for any expenditure over one yen for so-called policy research expenditures. The money is provided according to law to members of local government legislatures to conduct research into policy matters. The system has been criticized as being a de facto second source of income for the politicians, however, as in some locations the legislators have used the money for CD purchases and car loans. Until 2007, receipts for expenditures weren’t required, and the city received a repayment of 1.45 million yen for the unused portion. Once receipts were required, this total skyrocketed more than four times to about 6 million yen.