Kickbacked Lawmakers Return

President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi appointed Yasutoshi Nishimura to the Chairman of LDP Election Strategy Committee. As she declared in the election campaign, Takaichi hopes the lawmakers involved in the scandal to work as much as they can. It is likely that the prime minister regarded her public approval as so invincible that the scandal would no longer have negative impact on her administration.

 

Nishimura received 1 million yen from former Abe faction as the kickback for ticket sales in fundraising parties. Although 1 million yen was not very large amount of fund, compared to other faction members, he was punished with one-year suspension of LDP membership, because he was responsible for continuing the kickback system as secretary general of Abe faction in 2022.

 

Nishimura did not have party endorsement as the candidate of the Lower House election in October 2024, in which he maintained his seat with a small margin. And he won a sweeping victory in his single-seat district in Hyogo earlier this month. Takaichi decided to appoint him to the election chief, which is one of the four top positions in LDP board. Nishimura refused to the reporters commenting on his appointment.

 

In her post-election appointments, Hirokazu Matsuno, former Chief Cabinet Secretary in Fumio Kishida Cabinet, was picked to Chairman of Party Organization and Campaign Headquarters. Matsuno received 10.5 million yen from Abe faction and punished with penalty of one-year suspension from party leadership. As one of the leaders of Abe faction, Matsuno was a member of meeting in which they maintained kickback system.

 

Takaichi appointed Koichi Hagiuda to LDP Executive Acting Secretary General, when she first built her administration in October 2025. Although Hagiuda had been at the third position in the ranking of the size of kickback fund, 27.28 million yen, Takaichi asked Hagiuda to manage the LDP as the deputy of secretary general, the second highest position in charge of elections and Diet affairs.

 

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, Kei Sato, has been refused by Committee of Rules and Administration in the Upper House, which would deal with procedure of bills in Plenary Sittings since last October. Sato received 3.06 million yen from Abe faction, but was imposed no penalty. Although the opposition parties, which control the committee, refused Sato to attend the meeting as a representative of Takaichi Cabinet, they eased their stance after February election.

 

After the victory of Lower House election, Takaichi became self-confident in her handlings of politics. It is usual for the LDP leaders to believe that scandals are cleared once the suspected lawmakers were reelected with voters’ endorsement. The discussion for further regulation in political donation from companies and organizations will significantly slowdown. 

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