Japan’s LDP imposes tougher party rules after fund scandals amid poor public trust

The LDP has come under intense scrutiny amid allegations that some of its factions, including the largest one formerly led by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, neglected to report portions of their income from fundraising parties and created slush funds for years.

In amending its regulations, the LDP also pledged to move away from factions as vehicles for securing funds and allocating major government and party posts to lawmakers, while allowing such intraparty entities to continue as “policy groups.”

Kishida said his government and the ruling camp will aim to revise the political funds control law, which is often criticised for loopholes enabling politicians to maintain slush funds, during the ongoing parliamentary session through June.

Earlier this year, the LDP said more than 80 of its around 370 lawmakers had under-reported income in political funds documents, but the party has not investigated and provided details regarding how the money was used.

Prosecutors have indicted or issued summary indictments to 10 individuals belonging to three LDP factions, but executives of the groups have not faced criminal charges due to a lack of evidence implicating them.

The three groups – two previously headed by Abe and Kishida as well as one led by former LDP Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai – have decided to disband following the slush funds scandal. Abe was fatally shot during an election campaign speech in western Japan in July 2022.

The revised internal rules stipulate that the LDP can urge a lawmaker to leave the party if an accountant of their political group is arrested or if the lawmaker is prosecuted for violating the political funds control law.

But the new regulations will not be enforced retroactively on those involved