Japan’s ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), is facing its worst corruption scandal in over three decades. Investigators are looking into claims that ministers and legislators received kickbacks in exchange for campaign contributions generated at campaign rally events. Subsequently, LDP politicians funneled millions of dollars from fundraising proceeds into undisclosed slush funds, failing to … Read more
Japan’s government is in disarray thanks to an unfolding list of lawmakers who failed to report some of their income in their political fund statements. This week the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presented a list of 82 lawmakers, belonging to three different factions, who pocketed millions of dollars in kickbacks from political party fundraising … Read more
It was the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack when we met House of Representatives member, former Defense Minister, and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) heavyweight Ishiba Shigeru in his office in Nagatacho. Another battle was brewing that day. A scandal-driven frenzy in the Japanese Diet over the secret slush funds of LDP factions, or habatsu, … Read more