Argument for Dissolving Factions

The Political Reform Headquarters of Liberal Democratic Party, established by LDP president and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for discussing the measures to prevent slush funds scandal, held on Tuesday the fourth meeting. The lawmakers required the party leaders fundamental reform including disband of factions, which are recognized as the basis of wrong political activities. Some affiliated with Abe faction, a seismic center of the scandal, argued that the faction needed to be dismantled, taking responsibility for the scandal. The leaders still insisted on the positive aspect of the factions. 

The meeting was held on the basis any lawmakers with LDP could join, collecting over one hundred. The meeting lasted for three hours, closed to the news reporters. Although some of the lawmakers with Abe faction attended the meeting and raised their voices, leaders of the faction, who had been interviewed by the public prosecutors, did not show up. Kishida urged LDP lawmakers to say anything to improve the party and politics.

 

According to a report of Yomiuri Shimbun, a lot of opinions for disbanding all the factions were raised, “Dissolve all the factions. Kishida faction should be dissolved as the first step,” said an independent lawmaker, Akimasa Ishikawa. Against those, Eiichiro Washio, affiliated with Nikai faction, represented moderate argument that the factions have roles for education of young lawmakers or uniting the party. Daisuke Nishino, independent, demanded the factions to be unrelated to selection of ministers, money and presidential election.

 

There were some arguments that the reform should not be about factions but politics. “Heavy penalties through revision of Political Fund Control Act or co-responsibility of lawmaker and staffs would be a way for transparency,” said Yasutaka Nakasone with Nikai faction. Masamune Wada, independent, proposed expulsion from the party or regulation for running an election to a lawmaker who violated laws.

 

Criticisms were mainly directed to Abe faction. Asahi Shimbun reported that Hiroyuki Miyazawa, a member of Abe faction who revealed the faction’s instruction for secret fund, claimed that Abe faction should be dissolved as long as it caused troubles. Kenta Wakabayashi with Abe faction revealed to the reporters that he had said to hope the faction to be dissolved.

 

There is an argument among the veterans that the meeting was a ventilation of expanding frustrations within the party. The discussion among the party leaders is going toward some reviews in regulation of political funds or not directed to complete elimination of factions in LDP. While Yaichi Tanigawa, who reportedly accepted over ¥40 million of kickbacks from Abe faction, expressed his intention to resign as a lawmaker, if he would be arrested or indicted, there is no serious sense of crisis in LDP leadership to fundamentally refresh their party.