Tag - political

 
 

POLITICAL

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.
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.
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.
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.
Executives of opposition parties meet in the parliament building on Tuesday to discuss their stance over the political funds scandal in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
JAPAN / Politics
May 9, 2024
Japan's opposition parties ask for ethics panel review of 44 lawmakers
The review would have no binding power, however, and the decision of whether to attend will be left up to the lawmakers.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrives at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Monday after his trip to France, Brazil and Paraguay.
JAPAN / Politics
May 7, 2024
LDP weighs proposal to disclose usage of party's 'policy activity funds'
Policy activity funds are provided to lawmakers from parties to which they belong. How they are used is not presently subject to disclosure.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attends a news conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics
May 5, 2024
Kishida, fresh off Latin America visit, vows to zero in on political funds reform
Grappling with record-low approval ratings, the prime minister hopes to amend the Political Funds Control Act during the current session of parliament.
Officials of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito hold talks on the revision of the Political Funds Control Law in the parliamentary building on April 24.
JAPAN / Politics
May 3, 2024
LDP eyes more disclosure on fundraising ticket buyers
The LDP is currently examining the idea of lowering the threshold for the mandatory disclosure from ¥200,000 per buyer per fundraising party.
The first Lower House political reform committee meeting begins in Tokyo on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 26, 2024
Gaps between Japan's parties on political reform on show at committee
At the committee's first meeting, differing views were expressed on the legal responsibility of politicians as well as punishments for wrongdoing.
Natsumi Sakai, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan’s candidate and one of four female candidates running in the by-election, touts her experience as a cancer survivor and midwife as having prepared her to tackle issues that women currently face.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 25, 2024
Tokyo's Koto Ward by-election a race unlike any other
In a departure from boys' club politics, candidates including four women, a writer and an ex-martial artist are making their case for a seat in parliament.
Ryu Shionoya, former chairman of the General Council of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, speaks at a news conference at the parliamentary building on Tuesday after he left the party.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 24, 2024
Ryu Shionoya quits LDP, ending scandal-linked punishment process
With the acceptance of the resignation, the LDP's process of punishing party lawmakers involved in the political funds scandal concluded.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has repeatedly expressed his commitment to bring about a revision of the Political Funds Control Act during the current session of parliament, which is slated to end on June 23.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 23, 2024
LDP pledges tougher action on errant lawmakers in reform blueprint
The ruling party will seek to review legislation on the handling of political funds in the wake of a slush funds scandal involving its members.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks at a Lower House Budget Committee session in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 22, 2024
LDP to present political reform plan this week as pressure grows
The move will lay the groundwork for an amendment of the political funds control law in the current session of parliament slated to end June 23.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addresses a joint session of the U.S. Congress in Washington on April 11.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 21, 2024
Kishida must wish he’d stayed in Washington
At home, Kishida’s polling numbers near record lows, he faces never-ending political scandals and a public that is weary of him.
CDP head Kenta Izumi speaks to reporters in Tokyo on April 13.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 19, 2024
Kishida and Izumi to campaign in must-win Shimane as by-election looms
For Kishida and the LDP, the Shimane race is a must-win contest, while the opposition is looking to gain ground in a ruling party stronghold.
LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi arrives for his faction meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 18, 2024
Motegi faces bumpy road after faction dissolution
Motegi has never sought to conceal his aspirations for the top spot, but his prospects may now be dwindling.

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