Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party officially announced on Wednesday morning that it would deny endorsements for 12 current and former Lower House members in the upcoming election over their involvement in the recent political funding scandal.
The party held an election strategy headquarters meeting on Wednesday morning. Key party members, including Prime Minister and LDP President Ishiba Shigeru, party Vice-President Suga Yoshihide and Secretary-General Moriyama Hiroshi, attended.
At the start of the meeting, Ishiba said he would dissolve the Lower House of the Diet later in the day. A general election is expected to be held on October 27. Ishiba said he believes victory for the party at the upcoming election will benefit Japan, and the party will sincerely seek a mandate from voters. He said he’ll work hard in campaigning to ensure all of the party’s candidates win.
Participants at the meeting decided to endorse a total of 279 members as LDP candidates in single-seat constituencies, or the proportional representation category, or both.
Moriyama told reporters after the meeting that the 12 party members who have been denied endorsement were among those who failed to report political funds that they received.
Six have already received punishments from the party, including the suspension of their membership. The six are former education minister Shimomura Hakubun, former economy minister Nishimura Yasutoshi, former LDP diet affairs chief Takagi Tsuyoshi, former party policy affairs chief Hagiuda Koichi, former Reconstruction Minister Hirasawa Katsuei and Mitsubayashi Hiromi.
Four others received lighter punishments, but the party judged that their constituencies did not appear ready to approve them yet. These lawmakers are Kanke Ichiro, Nakane Kazuyuki, Odawara Kiyoshi and Hosoda Kenichi. The other two are lawmaker Ochi Takao, who has already indicated he will not run in the election, and former lawmaker Imamura Hirofumi.
Participants also agreed not to allow any party members who failed to report political funds to file double candidacies in the single-seat constituency and the proportional representation category.
LDP Secretary-General Moriyama said the decision was made in line with the prime minister’s view, while the party also took into consideration requests from the party’s prefectural chapters and the assessment of each constituency. He urged those who will campaign on the party ticket to take to heart the party’s strict decision and work to restore voter trust at the election, which is the foundation of democracy.
Some voiced dissatisfaction over the decision during the meeting.