Tokyo – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday that his ruling party’s crushing defeat in last weekend’s by-election was largely due to a political financing scandal, and that he had no intention of resigning or replacing party leaders to take responsibility. .
In return, Kishida said he would promote anti-corruption measures and political reform.
Kishida said, “I believe that I must take these results seriously and, as the president of the ruling party, address each issue I face one by one and achieve results, and that is my responsibility.” It will regain the trust of the people. ”
Kishida said the scandal had given the party a “huge and severe obstacle.” The scandal focuses on allegations that dozens of members of Kishida’s Liberal Democratic Party falsified financial reports and embezzled profits from ticket sales to political events.
When asked if he would take responsibility for the election defeat, Mr. Kishida denied that he had any intention of resigning or being replaced as an LDP executive, and promised to pursue party and political reform, including revisions to the Political Funds Act. did. He also announced that he would address economic issues.
In Sunday’s by-elections for the House of Representatives in Nagasaki, Shimane and Tokyo, the conservative Liberal Democratic Party lost all three seats. Kishida’s party fielded its own candidate only in Shimane Prefecture, a conservative stronghold, while the main liberal-leaning opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party, secured all three seats previously held by the Liberal Democratic Party.
The defeat is seen as punishment from voters for the ruling party scandal that erupted last year and weakened Kishida’s leadership.
The party is unlikely to lose power because the opposition is divided. But Sunday’s defeat represents a further setback for Kishida, who is seeking re-election as party leader in the autumn.
According to political analysts, Mr. Kishida probably planned to hold a snap general election after the current Diet session ends at the end of June, accept the mandate of the people, and aim for re-election in September’s party presidential vote.
Kishida’s state visit to the United States earlier this month was seen as a success, but Sunday’s defeat could erode his influence, with Liberal Democratic Party members backing new faces ahead of the next general election. may try to oust him.
Such a move would make it difficult for Kishida to run for another three-year term in September’s party presidential election. As prime minister, he can call a snap election at any time before the current term of the House of Commons expires in October 2025.
Kishida denied on Tuesday that there were any plans to hold a snap election.
He has been battling plummeting approval ratings since the corruption scandal broke. Although he dismissed many cabinet ministers and others from their posts in the party’s executive departments, held internal party hearings and drafted reform plans, his government’s approval rating has fallen to about 20%.
The scandal focuses on unreported political funds raised through ticket sales at party events and involves more than 80 Liberal Democratic Party members, most of whom were former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated. He belonged to the main faction of the party he led. Ten members of Congress and their aides were indicted in January.
