LDP to Lift Election Penalty on “Slush Fund” Members

Tokyo, Jan. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party will lift an election penalty on party members involved in the party’s slush fund scandal, it was learned Sunday. In the next general election, the LDP will allow these members to be listed on the party’s proportional representation lists while running for constituency seats, according to party sources. Amid public criticism of the scandal, the party did not allow this in the previous House of Representatives election in 2024. It also refused to officially endorse some scandal-tainted members. As a result, 28 of the 46 affected candidates failed to win seats. Now that Sanae Takaichi has replaced then LDP President and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the LDP apparently aims to strengthen its unity. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, and Tetsuo Saito, head of Komeito, the LDP’s former coalition partner, criticized the lifting of the penalty. The LDP “has not really reflected on the issue of politics and money,” Noda said, while Saito argued that the LDP “lacks a will to regain public trust.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]