TOKYO, July 1 (UPI) -- The average income of a Japanese legislator in 2003 was $230 thousand, the lowest figure since the Diet began disclosing such figures in 1993.
The figures were released Wednesday by the secretariats of the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors.
The decline in lawmakers' incomes was due to a decline in funding from companies for which they serve as executives, lower real estate sales and stock dividends as well as a 10 percent cut in lawmakers' annual salaries in 2002, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported Thursday.
Among party leaders, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of the Liberal Democratic Party earned the most at $370 thousand. The income of all five party leaders declined from 2002.
The highest income was earned by Taro Aso, Public Management Minister, whose income totaled $6.67 million, mostly from real estate sales.
