JAPAN’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed to restore public trust in his government and take appropriate action against erring public officials. The prime minister is reportedly planning to purge ministers linked to a fundraising scandal.
Kishida announced plans to make changes to his cabinet and his party executive following reports that lawmakers in his group received undeclared political funds.
The scandal mostly involved top Cabinet and party posts from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s largest and most powerful faction formerly led by assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The erring public officials allegedly failed to report several hundred million yen in public funds that have gone to unmonitored slush funds.
Implicated officials could face a possible violation of campaign election laws.
Kishida said he is taking the matter seriously and that authorities are investigating the criminal complaint.
To recall, Kishida stepped down as the chief of his faction in the ruling liberal democratic party as lawmakers face criticism over the unreported fundraising proceeds.
