'Gift voucher' scandal casts shadow on Japanese ruling party leaders

KARACHI, Pakistan

A deepening slush fund scandal continues to cast a shadow over Japan’s ruling party leaders following revelations that former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also handed out gift vouchers to lawmakers during his tenure, following his successor Shigeru Ishiba.

Kishida’s office distributed gift vouchers to parliamentary vice ministers during his premiership in 2022, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported Wednesday, citing Liberal Democratic Party sources.

"We always followed the law," Kishida's office told Kyodo News. He served as prime minister from 2021 to 2024, before handing over to Ishiba last year.

Ishiba himself is under scrutiny for distributing gift certificates worth 100,000 yen ($670) each to 15 new lower house lawmakers of the Liberal Democratic Party to express his "appreciation" for them.

Public support for Ishiba’s government has fallen to new lows after he handed out the ift vouchers to over a dozen ruling party lawmakers, according to recent polls.

The premier contended that his actions did not violate political fund laws but apologized for causing "distrust and anger among many people."

Opposition parties are increasing pressure on the scandal-plagued Liberal Democratic Party, with a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan demanding that Kishida answer questions in parliament.

All 15 lawmakers later returned the gift vouchers to Ishiba’s office.

The latest opinion polls could deal a blow to Ishiba’s leadership ahead of an upper house election scheduled for July.