Japan PM Kishida looks to ‘restore trust’ amid fund-raising scandal
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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to hold a press conference on Dec 13 to explain his administration's responses to a fund-raising scandal.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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TOKYO – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Dec 11 he would take steps to restore trust in his government amid a fund-raising scandal
Allegations over unreported funds have posed the biggest political challenge to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) since it took back power in 2012, rattling the foundation of the current administration.
Speaking to reporters on the morning of Dec 11, Mr Kishida said he was aware of the seriousness of the situation.
“We’ll consider appropriate measures at the right time to restore public trust and prevent delays in national politics,” Mr Kishida said.
The Asahi newspaper reported late on Dec 10 that Mr Kishida had decided to replace four ministers and 11 other ministerial positions in his Cabinet as a scandal over alleged undisclosed funding fuelled public disapproval.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno; Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura; Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Junji Suzuki; and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Ichiro Miyashita are among those replaced, including deputies and parliamentary secretaries, Asahi reported.
During a briefing on Dec 11, Mr Matsuno, who is the top government spokesman, also did not elaborate on the media report, largely repeating his previous remarks that an investigation was under way and that he would take appropriate actions.
“I intend to fulfil the responsibilities of duties I have been given,” Mr Matsuno told reporters.
Mr Nishimura on Dec 10 said he would stay in the post and review his fund-raising proceeds after media reports of an imminent Cabinet reshuffle over allegations about unreported funds.
The 15 officials to be sacked belong to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s biggest “Abe faction”, which prosecutors have investigated for allegedly hiding more than 100 million yen (S$925,000) of political funds over five years.
The LDP – which has held power for nearly all of Japan’s post-war era – is due to hold leadership elections in September 2024 with a general election due by October 2025 at the latest.
The scandal could stir up a power struggle inside the party that could influence the outcome of the leadership contest and the party’s management.
Mr Kishida is set to hold a press conference on Dec 13 at the end of the current Parliament session to explain his administration’s responses, Asahi reported.
Mr Kishida’s Cabinet approval ratings were hovering at below 30 per cent even before the fund-raising scandal, a record low in his premiership since October 2021, reflecting voter worries over rising living costs and looming tax hikes. REUTERS
