Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has pledged to regain public trust as Tokyo prosecutors raided the offices of the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s Abe and Nikai factions over a fundraising scandal. But Kishida said he will retain in his Cabinet two ministers from one of the party factions under scrutiny.
The factions are suspected of paying kickbacks to member lawmakers who sold fundraising party tickets in excess of their quota. The payments allegedly were not registered as income in the lawmakers’ political fund reports.
Kishida told reporters he must refrain from commenting on the investigations, but added that the LDP must urgently try to regain public trust.
The prime minister replaced all Cabinet ministers from the Abe faction last Thursday. Reporters asked whether he plans to do the same with Justice Minister Koizumi Ryuji and World Expo minister Jimi Hanako, who belong to the Nikai faction.
Kishida responded that he picked his ministers not based on their policy group, but on their individual qualifications, willingness and ability to act with clarity in the public eye. He said he wants them to continue with their duties.
Reporters asked whether having a justice minister from the Nikai faction would negatively impact the fairness and neutrality of the investigations.
Kishida said investigations must certainly be conducted impartially.
