In an unexpected move that sent shock waves through Japan’s political establishment Friday night, three major Liberal Democratic Party factions announced they would disband amid a slush fund scandal.
The party’s largest faction, formerly led by Shinzo Abe, the faction most recently led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and the one led by former Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai each made formal announcements Friday and declared they would cease to exist as political groups.
“I would like to express my sincere regret for the loss of trust of citizens and everyone involved over the large amount of (faction) money, in the expense report,” Ryu Shionoya, chairman of the Abe faction, told reporters Friday evening, in reference to political slush funds that were not recorded in legally required political funds reports.