Kishida promises he'll take appropriate steps ahead of a Cabinet shuffle to tackle a party scandal

TOKYO, Dec 11 (AP) - Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Monday he planned to take “appropriate steps” over his governing party’s widening slush funds scandal as speculation is rife that he may purge implicated Cabinet members in a major shuffle this week.

The scandal mostly involves the Liberal Democratic Party’s largest and most powerful faction formerly led by assassinated ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Its key members, including those in top Cabinet and party posts, were suspected of systematically failing to report several hundred million yen (several million dollars) in funds in a possible violation of campaign and election laws, according to media reports. The money is alleged to have gone into unmonitored slush funds.

Kishida told reporters Monday that he is aware of the growing public distrust over the fundraising scandal and takes it seriously. He has acknowledged that authorities are investigating the scandal following a criminal complaint.

“I’ll take appropriate action at the appropriate time to restore public trust and to avoid delays in national politics,” Kishida said, without giving further details. Media reports say he may shuffle Cabinet and top party posts as early as Thursday.

The scandal and a major purge of Abe's faction, which was key to Kishida's own future, could stir a power struggle within the party and influence the upcoming party leadership vote in September. But the grip on power of the LDP, which has almost continually ruled postwar Japan, is seen unchanged as long as the opposition remains fractured, analysts say. ...continue reading

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