Two Japanese lawmakers charged over fund scandal

TOKYO: Japanese prosecutors yesterday charged two lawmakers over a funding scandal, adding to pressure on Prime Minister Fumio Kishida whose support rate has plummeted.

The lawmakers, along with several staff members of factions of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), are accused of violating the political funds control law, according to prosecution documents seen by AFP.

Poll ratings for Kishida’s government are at the worst level since the LDP returned to power in 2012, dragged down by voter anger about inflation, and a string of earlier scandals.

At the centre of the latest sprawling scandal are kickbacks, which allegedly went to party members who exceeded their ticket sales quotas for party fundraising events.

Prosecutors alleged that lawmaker Yasutada Ohno conspired with his secretary to hide political donations worth more than 51 million yen (US$345,000) from 2018 through 2022.

Lawmaker Yaichi Tanigawa and his secretary were also accused of hiding more than 43 milion yen during the same period.

The two MPs belong to the largest faction of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), previously headed by expremier Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in 2022.

Other administrative staff from a faction Kishida headed until recently, and another faction, were also charged on Friday.

Factions have long been crucial to the inner workings of the LDP, with prime ministers distributing top positions with faction politics in mind.

Earlier this month, prosecutors arrested ruling party lawmaker Yoshitaka Ikeda and his secretary, reportedly on suspicion of receiving around 48 million yen in kickbacks.

In December, Kishida sacked the top government spokesman, the trade minister and two other ministers -- all belonging to the Abe faction.

Yesterday’s charges came a day after Kishida expressed his intention to dissolve the faction he previously headed “to restore public trust.”