Japan: The LDP financing scandal spreads
The scandal in Japan linked to the undisclosed financing of the Liberal Democratic Party, the head of the government coalition, which concerns a growing number of members of the executive branch, is spreading like wildfire. Local media reported that, coinciding with the end of the parliament session (Parliament in Tokyo) next Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is preparing to replace up to five senior officials in the administration who are joining the strongest faction in the Conservative Front, which bears the name of former Prime Minister Shinzo. Abe, who was assassinated in July 2022.
Investigative sources believe that most of its approximately 100 members omitted payments they received from grants to the party in violation of electoral law. Among the senior officials under the lens are the Prime Minister’s right-hand man, Hirokazu Matsuno; Secretary General of the Senate, Hiroshige Seko; LDP Reform Chairman Koichi Hagiuda and Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura. Over the weekend, Kishida met with several party representatives, and according to public broadcaster NHK, different solutions are being explored based on the involvement of individual politicians, due to conflicting opinions within the government and the party itself.
Among the proposals that Kishida is considering – according to Jiji – is the proposal to dismiss all 15 senior administrative officials who belong to the faction affected by the scandal. The harsh criticism came from the main opposition movement, the Constitutional Democratic Party, which pointed out that none of the lawmakers involved in the scandal explained how the unreported funds were used.
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