Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plans to replace Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno amid media reports he had received unreported political funds, the Yomiuri newspaper reported Saturday, citing government and ruling party sources.
Kishida may revamp his Cabinet and executives of his Liberal Democratic Party, sources said, with other lawmakers of the intraparty factions accused of being engaged in similar scandals.
After the ongoing extraordinary parliamentary session ends Wednesday, Kishida is expected to decide whether to replace Matsuno or carry out a small-scale Cabinet reshuffle, while gauging which way would be most effective in lessening the negative impact on his government, the sources added.