1
 Yet another political scandal is racking Japan.
2
consequence-n

2
 But this time it's hurting opposition as well as ruling-party members.
5007
span

3
 And 
5003
Same-Unit

4
as it unfolds, 
5
circumstance-e

5
it's revealing some of the more tangled and seamier aspects of Japanese society.
5002
span

6
 Already, ruling Liberal Democratic Party demands 
5004
span

7
that opposition members testify under oath in parliament 
6
elaboration-object-attribute-e

8
have stalled one budget committee session 
5005
Same-Unit

9
and forced the committee to plan a special two-day investigation at the end of the month.
5006
List

10
 But the scandal itself is so convoluted 
5010
span

11
that ruling-party members are divided between those 
5012
span

12
who want to pursue the matter in hope 
5011
span

13
of undermining the opposition 
12
elaboration-object-attribute-e

14
and those 
5014
span

15
who favor leaving well enough alone.
14
elaboration-object-attribute-e

16
 The opposition can be the most hurt 
5016
span

17
because everyone already figures 
18
attribution

18
the LDP is that kind of beast, 
5017
span

19
says Shigezo Hayasaka, former aide to LDP kingmaker Kakuei Tanaka and now an independent analyst.
5016
attribution

20
 But, 
5019
span

21
he adds, 
20
attribution-e

22
We can't tell 
23
attribution-n

23
where it will go at all 
5021
span

24
because we're still in the middle of it.
5021
circumstance

25
 This time, the scandal centers on donations 
5027
span

26
made by the not-quite-mainstream pachinko parlor industry. 
5032
span

27
Pachinko, a kind of pinball, is Japan's favorite form of legal gambling.
26
elaboration-additional

28
 The donations so far appear to be small, 
5029
span

29
especially compared with the huge sums 
5030
span

30
that changed hands in the Recruit Co. influence-peddling scandal 
5031
span

31
that plagued the ruling party last year.
30
elaboration-object-attribute-e

32
 But the implications could be great.
5060
span

33
 Pachinko is slightly on the shady side, 
5035
span

34
often linked to the lower ranks of Japan's underworld 
5034
List

35
and regularly at the top of annual lists of tax evaders.
5034
List

36
 Recently the industry has faced the threat of new restrictions, 
5036
circumstance

37
and political donations may have been made with the intent 
5036
span

38
to bribe.
37
elaboration-object-attribute-e

39
 Also, about 60% of pachinko parlor owners are Korean, 
5039
span

40
many of whom maintain close ties with North or South Korean residents' organizations, 
39
elaboration-additional-e

41
and donations by such foreign groups are illegal in Japan.
5040
List

42
 To many Japanese, pachinko is benign or enticingly unsavory.
5047
evaluation-s

43
 Garish neon pachinko marquees blaze from the main streets and narrow alleys of cities and towns across the country.
5047
span

44
 Devotees pass hours, 
5142
span

45
watching the lights blink 
5042
List

46
and listening to the metal balls ping, 
5042
List

47
as much to gamble 
5046
Proportion

48
as to get a little time 
5044
span

49
to be anonymous, alone with their thoughts.
48
elaboration-object-attribute-e

50
 At 500 yen 
5049
span

51
($3.60) 
50
restatement-e

52
for a handful of balls, pachinko is a common pastime, 
5051
Same-Unit

53
and has been 
5050
span

54
since it took root as cheap entertainment in the years after World War II.
53
temporal-after

55
 But the total of all those pinging balls has created an industry with a reported annual income of 13 trillion yen 
5058
span

56
(almost $92 billion),
55
restatement-e

57
 or nearly the size of Japan's vaunted automobile industry.
5059
Same-Unit

58
 And 
5063
Same-Unit

59
because the pachinko industry is regularly at the top of annual lists for tax evasion, 
5064
reason-e

60
some observers estimate 
61
attribution

61
the real income could be as much as 20 trillion yen. 
5064
span

62
 If that money were being taxed, 
63
condition

63
it could bring the government a badly needed several trillion yen.
5066
span

64
 In 1984, an attempt was made 
5070
span

65
to crack down on the industry with tougher restrictions. 
64
elaboration-object-attribute-e

66
Then, in 1988, a proposal 
5071
span

67
to keep better track of income 
5072
span

68
by selling prepaid cards for pachinko 
67
means

69
was fielded in parliament.
5073
Same-Unit

70
 The proposal split the industry in two, along the lines of national origin: 
5078
span

71
North Koreans oppose the plan 
5077
Contrast

72
while South Koreans, Japanese and Taiwanese accept it 
5076
Disjunction

73
or are neutral.
5076
Disjunction

74
 In August, a conservative weekly magazine reported 
75
attribution

75
that a pachinko industry organization donated money to Japan Socialist Party members.
5079
span

76
 The magazine alleged 
5084
attribution

77
that 
5082
Same-Unit

78
in making the donations, 
79
manner-e

79
the pachinko industry may have been offering bribes 
5081
span

80
to win support in the battle against prepaid cards, 
5082
purpose

81
or it may have been laundering money back and forth between the JSP and the North Korean residents' organization, the Chosen Soren.
5084
Disjunction

82
 The Chosen Soren and the JSP immediately denied the report.
5087
Statement-Response

83
 And at first, neither the opposition nor the LDP wanted to pursue the issue.
5090
Contrast

84
 But the press kept it alive; 
5089
span

85
as with the Recruit scandal, lists began circulating with names of people 
5088
span

86
who had received money.
85
elaboration-object-attribute-e

87
 Within a matter of weeks, less-conservative magazines reported 
88
attribution

88
that members of the ruling LDP had received much larger donations from pachinko organizations.
5092
span

89
 So far, though, there have been no allegations 
5094
span

90
that the contributions 
5095
span

91
the LDP members received 
90
elaboration-object-attribute-e

92
amounted to bribes.
5096
Same-Unit

93
 Then the two camps upped the ante: 
5102
span

94
Reports 
5099
span

95
that Chosen Soren had donated directly to JSP members 
94
elaboration-object-attribute-e

96
were rapidly countered by statements 
5101
span

97
that the South Korean residents' organization had long been donating directly to LDP members.
96
elaboration-object-attribute-e

98
 The JSP admitted Oct. 13 
99
attribution

99
that its members received about eight million yen from the pachinko organization, 
5103
span

100
and charged LDP members with receiving 125 million yen 
5105
span

101
($880,000)
100
restatement-e

102
 and other opposition parties with taking about 2.5 million yen.
5106
Same-Unit

103
 On Friday, the chief cabinet secretary announced 
5108
attribution

104
that eight cabinet ministers had received five million yen from the industry, 
5109
span

105
including 450,000 yen 
5110
span

106
($3,175) 
105
restatement-e

107
by Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu. 
5111
Same-Unit

108
No one has alleged 
109
attribution-n

109
that the donations were by themselves illegal.
5113
span

110
 Direct donations from either of the residents' organizations would be illegal 
5115
span

111
because the groups are defined as foreign, 
110
explanation-argumentative

112
but both groups deny making direct donations.
5119
span

113
 They say 
114
attribution

114
its possible some of their members may be donating privately.
5118
span

115
 The issue is further complicated 
5123
span

116
because 
5121
Same-Unit

117
although the organizations represent Korean residents, 
118
concession-e

118
those residents were largely born and raised in Japan 
5120
span

119
and many speak only Japanese.
5120
consequence-s

120
 That they retain Korean citizenship and ties is a reflection of history 
5126
span

121
-- their parents were shipped in as laborers during the decades 
5124
span

122
when Japan occupied Korea before World War II -- 
121
elaboration-object-attribute-e

123
and the discrimination 
5127
span

124
that still faces Koreans in Japanese society.
123
elaboration-object-attribute-e

125
 Many Japanese think it only natural 
5133
attribution

126
that the organizations or their members would donate to politicians, the way 
5131
span

127
many Japanese do, 
126
elaboration-object-attribute-e

128
to win favor or support.
5131
purpose

129
 Both residents' organizations admit to receiving some funding from abroad.
5136
antithesis

130
 But LDP members and supporters of the prepaid card idea tend to speak in innuendo about the JSP's alleged donations, 
5143
span

131
implying 
132
attribution

132
that North Korean money would be more suspect than South Korean 
5135
span

133
because North Korea is communist 
5137
Contrast

134
and South Korea is an ally.
5137
Contrast

5001
span



5002
span
5003
Same-Unit

5003
multinuc
5007
elaboration-additional

5004
span
5005
Same-Unit

5005
multinuc
5006
List

5006
multinuc
5010
concession

5007
span
5008
span

5008
span
5009
span

5009
span
5024
span

5010
span
5015
span

5011
span
11
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5012
span
5013
Contrast

5013
multinuc
10
consequence-s

5014
span
5013
Contrast

5015
span
5008
evidence

5016
span
5018
span

5017
span
16
explanation-argumentative

5018
span
5026
Contrast

5019
span
5020
Same-Unit

5020
multinuc
5026
Contrast

5021
span
5025
span

5022
span



5023
span



5024
span
5028
span

5025
span
5020
Same-Unit

5026
multinuc
5009
interpretation-s

5027
span
5057
span

5028
span
5112
span

5029
span
5033
Contrast

5030
span
28
comparison-e

5031
span
29
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5032
span
25
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5033
multinuc
5027
interpretation-s

5034
multinuc
33
manner

5035
span
5038
List

5036
span
5037
span

5037
span
5038
List

5038
multinuc
32
explanation-argumentative

5039
span
5040
List

5040
multinuc
5038
List

5041
span



5042
multinuc
44
manner

5043
span
5045
span

5044
span
5046
Proportion

5045
span
5054
span

5046
multinuc
5043
purpose

5047
span
5048
span

5048
span
5061
Contrast

5049
span
5051
Same-Unit

5050
span
5051
background

5051
multinuc
5052
span

5052
span
5045
elaboration-additional

5053
span



5054
span
43
elaboration-additional

5055
span



5056
span



5057
span
5024
elaboration-general-specific

5058
span
5059
Same-Unit

5059
multinuc
5068
span

5060
span
5033
Contrast

5061
multinuc
5028
elaboration-additional

5062
span
5063
Same-Unit

5063
multinuc
5069
span

5064
span
5062
span

5065
span



5066
span
5063
hypothetical

5067
span



5068
span
5061
Contrast

5069
span
5059
evaluation-s

5070
span
5074
Sequence

5071
span
5073
Same-Unit

5072
span
66
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5073
multinuc
5075
span

5074
multinuc
5112
elaboration-additional

5075
span
5074
Sequence

5076
multinuc
5077
Contrast

5077
multinuc
70
elaboration-set-member

5078
span
5073
elaboration-additional

5079
span
5086
span

5080
span
5079
interpretation-s

5081
span
5082
Same-Unit

5082
multinuc
5083
span

5083
span
5084
Disjunction

5084
multinuc
5080
span

5085
span



5086
span
5087
Statement-Response

5087
multinuc
5091
Sequence

5088
span
84
manner

5089
span
5097
consequence-n

5090
multinuc
5098
Sequence

5091
multinuc
5074
Sequence

5092
span
5097
span

5093
span
5090
Contrast

5094
span
5092
elaboration-additional

5095
span
5096
Same-Unit

5096
multinuc
89
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5097
span
5093
span

5098
multinuc
5091
Sequence

5099
span
5100
Same-Unit

5100
multinuc
93
elaboration-general-specific

5101
span
5100
Same-Unit

5102
span
5098
Sequence

5103
span
5104
List

5104
multinuc
5098
Sequence

5105
span
5106
Same-Unit

5106
multinuc
5104
List

5107
span
5114
span

5108
span
5107
span

5109
span
5108
span

5110
span
5111
Same-Unit

5111
multinuc
104
elaboration-part-whole-e

5112
span
5141
span

5113
span
5116
span

5114
span
5098
Sequence

5115
span
5117
Contrast

5116
span
5130
span

5117
multinuc
5113
explanation-argumentative

5118
span
112
elaboration-additional

5119
span
5117
Contrast

5120
span
5122
span

5121
multinuc
5129
span

5122
span
5121
Same-Unit

5123
span
5116
elaboration-additional

5124
span
120
background-e

5125
span



5126
span
5128
Same-Unit

5127
span
5128
Same-Unit

5128
multinuc
5121
elaboration-additional

5129
span
115
explanation-argumentative

5130
span
5134
span

5131
span
5133
span

5132
span
5130
comment

5133
span
5132
span

5134
span
5140
span

5135
span
5138
span

5136
span
5139
span

5137
multinuc
5135
consequence-n

5138
span
130
elaboration-additional

5139
span
5134
interpretation-s

5140
span
5107
comment

5141
span



5142
span
5043
span

5143
span
5136
span

