Tag - ldp

 
 

LDP

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during an Upper House Budget Committee session on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 4, 2024
Kishida denies intent to dissolve Lower House in April
The prime minister was grilled on his reason for rushing the passage of the government's fiscal 2024 draft budget last week.
The Japanese parliament building in Tokyo
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 3, 2024
Opposition again demands 32 Upper House members face ethics panel
Junichi Ishii, LDP parliamentary affairs chief in the Upper House, says the LDP intends to decide in early March on the plan to hold ethics panel hearings.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attends a Lower House plenary session on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Mar 3, 2024
In bid to save face, Kishida sticks to his guns on budget passage schedule
The PM wants to prevent his administration's popularity from falling further but his handling of a funds scandal is widely perceived as inadequate.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other lawmakers bow after the Lower House passed the fiscal 2024 draft budget on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 2, 2024
After lengthy delay, Japan's Lower House passes fiscal 2024 budget
The Lower House cleared the bill after deliberations in which the opposition grilled the prime minister over the party's ongoing political funds scandal.
A retail shopping area in Tokyo in February. A recent bout of inflation appears to have cleared the way for Japan to officially end its war on deflation.
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 2, 2024
Japanese government may declare official end to deflation
A recent bout of inflation appears to have cleared the way for Japan to officially end its war on deflation.
Factions, cliques, caucuses — whatever they may be called, groupings in legislatures are not unusual in many countries.
COMMENTARY / Japan / Perspectives
Mar 2, 2024
Is the funding scandal unraveling the LDP?
The media is caught up in the money-politics scandal of the moment, framing factions as all good or all bad. Things are a lot more nuanced than that.
Former economy minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who served as the Abe faction’s secretary-general for 10 months until August 2022, said the practice of returning portions of the income collected through fundraising parties to individual lawmakers was solely handled by the faction chairman and an administrative secretary.
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 1, 2024
As ethics hearing unfolds, Diet falls into chaos over budget approval
The CDP sought to censure budget committee leader Itsunori Onodera over his decision to push through a final vote, and argued for more extensive debate.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks at a Lower House ethics committee hearing in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 29, 2024
Kishida apologizes over slush funds scandal at ethics committee meeting
In a rare appearance in front of the committee, the prime minister also vowed to implement political reforms in the wake of the scandal.
Japan-made defense products on display at the Singapore Airshow on Feb. 23. Japan’s revision of its defense export guidelines is critical for the development of a next-generation fighter jet with the U.K. and Italy.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 29, 2024
Talks on easing Japan defense export rules pushed back to March
The Liberal Democratic Party and junior coalition partner Komeito failed to reach an agreement on revisions to existing restrictions on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida tells reporters that he plans to attend a Lower House ethics committee hearing, in Tokyo on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 28, 2024
Kishida says he will attend ethics committee hearing on funds scandal
In addition to Kishida, five senior LDP members will face the committee in front of a fully-open session of the Lower House on Thursday and Friday.
In principle, political ethics committee meetings are not open to either the media or other lawmakers. But the committee can open them to both at its discretion.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 27, 2024
What to know about the ethics committee probing the LDP funds scandal
When the committee convenes later this week, at least five senior ruling party officials are expected to testify on what they knew about the scandal.
In early February, the Finance Ministry announced that government debt at the end of last year had reached a record high of ¥1.2 quadrillion.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Feb 27, 2024
With downfall of Abe faction, some see a shift in Japan’s debt debate
The faction has long promoted fiscal stimulus, but its demise combined with wider economic conditions could open up space for a different approach.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks to reporters at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Feb 23, 2024
Nikkei's all-time high unlikely to serve as tailwind for Kishida
Many analysts point out that the jump in Tokyo shares is not due to the economic and monetary policies of the government and the Bank of Japan.
Lower House Budget Committee executives discuss next week's schedule in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 22, 2024
Committee probing LDP funds scandal set to open next week
The committee will likely gather next Wednesday and Thursday to interrogate five senior LDP lawmakers over their involvement in a kickback scheme.
The LDP's Takuo Komori stepped down from his post as parliamentary vice minister for internal affairs after it was revealed he had underreported political funds.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Feb 21, 2024
Will the LDP funding scandal change Japanese politics?
What can we learn from the LDP funding scandal? One thing is certain: The saga fits a pattern that is anything but unseen in Japanese politics.
Former Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 21, 2024
Senior LDP members likely to appear before ethics committee next week
While the opposition said the willingness of additional LDP figures to answer questions was an improvement, they called for more to step up.
Education Minister Masahito Moriyama bows to parliament after a motion of no confidence against him was voted down in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 20, 2024
Japan opposition fails with censure motion against education minister
The CDP's move against a Unification Church-linked minister came as the party also called for questioning over a slush funds scandal.
A model of the next-generation fighter jet set to be built by Japan, Britain and Italy is seen at the DSEI defense event in London last September.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 18, 2024
Japan looks to limit third-country defense exports to next-gen fighter jet
Tokyo plans to limit — at least for now — exports of finished defense equipment co-developed with others to the jet being built with Italy and Britain.
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker Kazunori Yamanoi shows a Liberal Democratic Party survey about a slush funds scandal to reporters in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 16, 2024
LDP survey doesn't quell demand from opposition for ethics hearing
The scandal, and the demand to convene a meeting of the ethics committee, have Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in a political bind.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks to reporters at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Thursday following the release of a Liberal Democratic Party report on the probe into the slush funds scandal.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 16, 2024
Biggest LDP faction's slush fund practice spanned over 10 years
Recipients used the funds for social gatherings, personnel expenses, vehicle purchases and other purposes, the LDP internal investigation said.

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