The Liberal Democratic Party on Friday endorsed a watered-down bill that was drafted by the Cabinet Office to protect corporate whistle-blowers, party officials said.
The latest version, drafted by the Cabinet Office, was approved by the LDP's decision-making Executive Council. It narrows the scope of protection for workers who reveal corporate wrongdoing.
The initial bill was criticized by some LDP lawmakers, who said it would encourage workers to come forward with information about wrongdoing.
The government is to expected to approve the bill at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday.
The revised bill stipulates that whistle-blowers are entitled to be protected in cases where they reveal that a legal violation "is about to emerge," instead of when one "is feared to emerge" as stated in the initial bill, the officials said.