A political funding scandal has triggered a high-pressure shuffle among Japan’s leadership, forcing the resignation of four ministers and pushing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida into a demanding stretch of political survival. The crisis arrives just ahead of the conservative bloc’s primary season, which serves as Japan’s de facto general election due to a chronic weakness in the opposition’s reform agenda. For Kishida and his Liberal Democratic Party, the road to reelection looks increasingly uncertain, regardless of any temporary gains in support.
In the pre-dawn hours, Matsuno Hirokazu, the Chief Cabinet Secretary and one of the administration’s most influential figures, stepped down. He was supported by Economy and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, Internal Affairs Minister Junji Suzuki, and Agriculture Minister Ichiro Miyashita, along with five deputy ministers. “I resign in light of various allegations that undermine public trust regarding political funds and other questions about my own finances”, Hirokazu stated. The disclosure underscored a broader narrative about political finance and accountability at the core of the government’s current crisis.
The core issue appears to revolve around alleged breaches of the Political Funds Control Law. Prosecutors are examining claims that the ruling party raised as much as 500 million yen (roughly 3.2 million euros) from multiple partners over the last five years. While fundraising activities are a conventional part of Japanese politics and often legal when conducted within set rules, questions arise when organizers surpass permitted targets and funnel the surplus into personal income. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, who requested anonymity, described a situation where tickets were sold beyond required limits and the excess was not properly disclosed. Other testimonies hint that similar practices were widespread across the party’s fundraising networks.
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The investigations center on SeiwakenIt, the main faction within the Liberal Democratic Party to which the four resigning ministers belonged. With these resignations, the government loses the support of a powerful faction associated with the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose network once anchored the party’s political machinery. Kishida’s ability to push through reforms without Abe’s allies becomes a key concern, particularly in education policy where Abe’s influence had been pronounced. For Kishida, who entered office in 2021 with broad public support, the party’s internal dynamics now feel more fragile. His current standing—facing a drop in public approval from about half at the outset to a recent low around the mid-twenties—reflects the tide of recent scandals and the strain on the administration’s stability. Critics point to the Moon sect and other controversies as factors that have dented confidence in his leadership.
Responding to the turmoil, Kishida stated that he would address the issues linked to political funds and work toward restoring public trust. National media outlets report that police plans include inspecting the offices of those under investigation in the coming days and possibly broadening the inquiry to encompass additional Liberal Democratic Party groups. One former aide, who remained out of the spotlight, indicated that the central objective is to reassert neutrality and public accountability as the party confronts early-stage internal challenges.
The next parliamentary elections are scheduled for 2025. In a healthy democracy, such excesses might provoke a decisive public rebuke. In Japan, however, the Liberal Democratic Party has held power for decades, with opposition reform efforts offering only fleeting momentum. The opposition, historically fragmented, briefly capitalized on a tsunami of sympathy following the crisis, yet the party’s bargaining power remains limited. The current political balance suggests Kishida could still secure a path to the ballot by courting a broad coalition, though this would come at the risk of compromising core policy positions. The party’s focus now shifts to internal elections set for September, a test of party unity that could determine Kishida’s capacity to govern after the recent upheavals. If he advances to that contest, it will likely be under a shadow of past allegations and questions about future governance.