Japan's Ishiba Gave Gift Certificates to LDP Lawmakers
Tokyo, March 13 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba last week gave gift certificates worth 100,000 yen each to over 10 new lawmakers of his Liberal Democratic Party, sources close to Ishiba said Thursday.
The lawmakers were elected to parliament for the first time in the October 2024 election of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet.
The total value is believed to have far exceeded 1 million yen. The political funds control law prohibits individuals from donating money to politicians.
Opposition lawmakers blasted Ishiba's action, referring to the possibility that Ishiba may need to resign.
Speaking to reporters at the prime minister's official residence Thursday night, Ishiba acknowledged the distribution of the gift certificates.
The certificates "are not donations related to political activities," Ishiba said. "There is no problem under the funds control law. (The distribution) does not violate the public offices election law."
But he apologized, saying, "I am very sorry for causing worries."
On the night of March 3, the LDP members in question attended a gathering held by Ishiba at the official residence.
According to the sources, the certificates were distributed to the offices of the lawmakers prior to the event as Ishiba wanted to give them a souvenir. Ishiba purportedly paid for the certificates out of his own pocket.
"We thought there was no problem," a source said, adding that Ishiba hoped that the gift certificates would be used when the lawmakers bought new clothes.
The gathering was attended by 15 people including LDP rookie lawmakers Koki Ozora and Chisato Morishita. Participants agreed to return the certificates to the prime minister's side, sources said.
"This is a serious problem that may lead us to demand (Ishiba's) resignation," said Junya Ogawa, secretary-general of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.
"If he violated the law, it is difficult for him to remain in the office of prime minister," Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, said on a YouTube program.
"It's impossible," Seiji Maehara, co-leader of Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), told reporters. "It can't be helped if it is seen as a form of bribery."
Calling for a clear explanation by Ishiba, an LDP executive said, "It's impossible that such a problem arises at a time when the issue of politics and money is drawing intense attention."
Another LDP member said, "The question is whether his administration can endure."
The new scandal hit Ishiba, who is already struggling as his minority government is under attack from opposition parties over repeated reviews of its unpopular plan to raise the limits on out-of-pocket payments for high-cost medical care and a delay in pension reform legislation.
Following the developments, the LDP's Shoji Nishida, a member of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, on Wednesday requested that Ishiba resign, saying that the party will incur a crushing defeat in the chamber's election in summer.
The gathering in question was also attended by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretaries Keiichiro Tachibana and Kazuhiko Aoki.
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