A member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has admitted to donating kickbacks from a party faction to an LDP chapter he heads, receiving tax breaks totaling ¥1.48 million.
Ichiro Kanke, former state minister for postdisaster reconstruction, told reporters at parliament Monday that he donated fundraising party revenues kicked back by the faction, once led by late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, to organizations including his LDP chapter. Such kickbacks are at the center of a major scandal over unreported political funds rocking the ruling party.
The donations were made under Kanke's name, making them eligible for tax breaks applied to personal donations to political parties.