The ruling Liberal Democratic Party will not field candidates in two of three upcoming by-elections for the House of Representatives amid headwinds the party faces over a slush fund scandal involving LDP factions.
The LDP made the decision not to field candidates in the Tokyo No. 15 constituency and the Nagasaki No. 3 constituency in the April 28 by-elections at a meeting of senior officials, including Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi and Election Strategy Committee Chair Yuko Obuchi, on Tuesday. The party plans to field a candidate in the by-election in the Shimane No. 1 constituency.
For the Tokyo constituency, the LDP is considering recommending author Hirotada Ototake, who is planning to run in the election as an independent. He serves as deputy chief of First no Kai, a political party with close links with Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike.
"The LDP is undergoing drastic reforms to regain public trust," Motegi told reporters. "We want to face voters in the by-elections and publicize our efforts."
The Tokyo by-election will be held following the resignation of former LDP member Mito Kakizawa over a vote-buying scandal related to a ward mayoral election.
The Nagasaki by-election is designed to fill a vacancy left by the resignation of former LDP member Yaichi Tanigawa over the funds scandal.