Power Struggle Unfolding among Ex-Abe Faction Members

Tokyo, July 10 (Jiji Press)–A power struggle is brewing among former members of a now-defunct faction of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party that was once led by the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Those who were considered to be the five leading figures of the faction, which was at the center of the “slush funds” scandal at the party, have regained power under the administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, inaugurated last October. Among them are Koichi Hagiuda, who now serves as LDP executive acting secretary-general, Yasutoshi Nishimura, head of the party’s Election Strategy Committee, and Hirokazu Matsuno, chief of the Party Organization and Campaign Headquarters. Meanwhile, former Environment Minister Akihiro Nishimura, who has argued that former faction executives have failed to fulfill their accountability over the high-profile political fund scandal that led to the intraparty group’s disbandment, and his allies are aiming to become a rallying point for LDP members critical of the former executives. The rivalry surfaced also over gatherings in memory of Abe, who was fatally shot during a stump speech in the western Japan city of Nara on July 8, 2022. “I’m ready to continue working hard for the nation with the strong will that I learned from Abe,” Hagiuda said in a speech at a retrospective exhibition on the late Japanese leader held in Tokyo on Wednesday, the fourth anniversary of his death. The return to prominence of former Abe faction executives mired in the slush funds scandal has not spurred overt criticism from within the party so far. Following the general election for the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the country’s parliament, in February this year, in which the LDP scored a landslide victory, Hagiuda and Yasutoshi Nishimura had a post-event party with former faction members. In March, the two gathered some 20 young and middle-ranking members for a “yakiniku” barbecue meal. Meanwhile, Akihiro Nishimura regained a Lower House seat in the February election after suffering a defeat in the 2024 poll for the chamber due to the impact of the slush funds scandal. He has won the trust of lawmakers across generations thanks in part to his gentle demeanor, and has continued close communication with former faction members even after he lost his Lower House seat in the 2024 poll. More than 40 LDP members, including former Defense Minister Tomomi Inada, took part in a meeting he hosted in April. On Wednesday, he rented a whole Japanese restaurant in the upscale Ginza district in central Tokyo to hold a gathering to commemorate Abe, inviting former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who supported the late leader as chief cabinet secretary. The number of people planning to attend the event initially exceeded the venue’s capacity of about 60. However, many canceled their participation at the last minute, citing unexpected commitments or other reasons, a source familiar with the matter said. “The five (former faction) heavyweights tried to undermine (the event),” the source said. Hagiuda and others plan to hold a similar commemorative gathering on Wednesday next week. They are apparently aiming to display their influence by gathering more participants than the event hosted by Akihiro Nishimura. “I was forced not to take part” in the gathering hosted by Nishimura, a young lawmaker who decided to attend the Hagiuda-led gathering said. “A power struggle is taking place.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]