Tag - political-funds

 
 

POLITICAL FUNDS

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during an Upper House committee session on Monday.
JAPAN / FOCUS
Jun 13, 2024
LDP allies concerned effort to improve funding transparency may be weakened
The House of Councilors began substantive deliberations on the legislation on Monday.
Liberal Democratic Party Vice President Taro Aso (left), Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (center) and LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi sing the LDP song at the party's annual convention in Tokyo on March 17.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jun 8, 2024
Kishida could break with Motegi and Aso over fund regulation
To secure backing for the bill, Kishida chose to concede to external parties rather than side with his right-hand men in the LDP.
Amid low approval ratings since the Liberal Democratic Party slush funds scandal came to light, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is making the political funding bill's passage his No. 1 priority for the current session of parliament.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 6, 2024
LDP's political funding bill clears Lower House
The bill's passage marks a watershed moment in a monthslong debate sparked by a slush funds scandal that engulfed the ruling party.
In a meeting with Nippon Ishin no Kai head Nobuyuki Baba (left) in Tokyo last Friday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had secured a formal endorsement of the Liberal Democratic Party's proposed revisions for the political funding law.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 4, 2024
Fumble with Nippon Ishin over funding vote adds to Kishida's predicament
The calling off of Tuesday's vote on the Liberal Democratic Party's proposed revisions for the political funding law might shake his precarious standing in the party.
Senior ruling and opposition lawmakers on the Lower House political reform committee decide Monday that the bill will be voted on in parliament the following day.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 3, 2024
Lower House vote on political funds law revision agreed
Movement on the vote follows a deal between the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and Nippon Ishin no Kai on the content of the bill.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Komeito head Natsuo Yamaguchi meet at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 31, 2024
LDP secures backing for revisions to political funding law
The agreement with Komeito and Nippon Ishin no Kai paves the way for the bill's passage in the current session of parliament.
A Liberal Democratic Party fundraising event in Tokyo in 2023
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
May 31, 2024
Why Japanese politics can't quit fundraising parties
To succeed in Japanese politics, it’s long been said that a politician must have, among other things, a fat purse.
Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Keisuke Suzuki responds to questions by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan on Friday at a meeting of a Lower House committee discussing revisions to the political funds control law.
JAPAN / Politics
May 29, 2024
LDP proposes party subsidy halts for fund law violations
The draft was shown at a meeting of executives from the special political reform committee of the Lower House.
Opposition parties' senior lawmakers discuss political reform in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 28, 2024
Japan's parties ramp up reform discussions as clock ticks for legal revision
While lawmakers have agreed to expedite discussions, gaps remain on some contentious issues.
Ichiro Kanke, former state minister for post-disaster reconstruction, speaks at a news conference on Monday in Tokyo.
JAPAN / Politics
May 28, 2024
LDP member admits to getting tax breaks by donating kickbacks
A member of the LDP has admitted to donating kickbacks from a party faction to a chapter he heads, receiving tax breaks totaling ¥1.48 million.
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan Secretary-General Katsuya Okada speaks to reporters on Saturday in the city of Aomori.
JAPAN / Politics
May 26, 2024
Constitutional Democratic Party executives cancel fundraiser parties amid criticism
The CDP submitted a bill to the Lower House that would ban lawmakers from having fundraiser parties starting January 2026.
Secretary-General Toshimitsu Mogi speaks during an event in Utsunomiya, Tochigi.
JAPAN / Politics
May 25, 2024
LDP considers requiring records on policy activity funds
The LDP is considering a plan to require political funds reports to record when so-called policy activity funds are used.
Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Takashi Yamashita answers questions at a meeting of a Lower House special political reform committee Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 25, 2024
LDP and CDP at odds over fate of fundraising parties
While the ruling party stressed the importance of maintaining the events, the main opposition party called for an outright ban.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 23, 2024
Japan's parliament begins talks on bills to amend political funds law
The envisioned law revision, proposed in response to a political funds scandal, is a key topic of the parliament session.
Komeito head Natsuo Yamaguchi said in a video posted on TikTok in December that the party did not want to be seen as part of the same group as the LDP.
JAPAN / Politics
May 23, 2024
Challenges mount for Komeito amid rift with LDP
As the junior partner in the ruling coalition approaches its 60th anniversary, an existential crisis looms over it.
Lawmakers from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People and Yushi no Kai jointly submit a bill to revise the political funds control law to the Lower House on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 20, 2024
Opposition parties submit bill to revise political funds law
The groups have positioned the legislation as a counterproposal to the ruling LDP's bill submitted Friday.
The Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito discuss the bill for the revision of the political funds control law in Tokyo on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 17, 2024
LDP submits its own proposal to revise political funds law
A tight parliamentary schedule has pushed the party to expedite negotiations with the opposition even at the cost of deepening a rift with its longtime ally.
Over 70% of respondents in a survey do not support Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's handling of the high-profile slush fund scandal involving factions of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
JAPAN / Politics
May 16, 2024
Kishida Cabinet's support rate edges up, poll shows
The poll found that 72.9% of respondents do not support Kishida's handling of a high-profile slush fund scandal.
The Liberal Democratic Party faction once led by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe holds a fundrasing party in Tokyo in May 2023.
JAPAN / Politics
May 10, 2024
Abe faction's ex-treasurer pleads guilty to underreporting political funds
Junichiro Matsumoto admitted to underreporting political funds totaling ¥670 million ($4.3 million) in the period from 2018 to 2022.
Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi (second from right) and his Komeito counterpart Keiichi Ishii (second from left) hold a signed agreement on political funding reform, on Thursday in parliament.
JAPAN / Politics
May 10, 2024
Japan's ruling parties find agreement on political reform, but gaps remain
The parties' plan lacks specifics on key contentious issues.

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