The ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s reform plan, thrown together in response to a political funding scandal, falls far short of tackling the core problems behind the scandal.

The LDP has made no serious efforts to clarify the facts about the factions’ shady dealings to create slush funds.

It has also delayed taking specific actions to address the political accountability of members tied to the scandal or to make the flow of political funds transparent.

Its attempt to disband factions has ended up a superficial change that allows them to remain as “policy groups,” with uncertain effectiveness.

The party is grossly mistaken if it thinks that this “reform” will restore public trust.

The LDP has decided on an “interim summary” of party reforms that have been prompted by revelations of the scandal. The interim summary was hastily prepared in two weeks by the LDP’s political reform headquarters, led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is also the party president.

The plan proposes a complete ban on political fund-raising parties held by factions, which were hotbeds for financial misconduct, and mandates external audits for the financial reports of factions’ political funds.

However, the root cause behind the long-standing factional practice of amassing shady funds lies in the loophole-ridden and sieve-like Political Fund Control Law.

The interim summary calls for “promptly taking necessary legislative actions, including amendments to the Political Fund Control Law,” but it only mentions abstract goals, such as “improving transparency” and “establishing a stricter accountability system,” without offering concrete ideas.

The decision to leave the debate on specific legislative measures to talks with other parties casts doubt on the LDP’s seriousness about the reforms. The LDP should present its own proposals concerning these issues and then engage in discussions with other parties.

Is the LDP ready to introduce a guilt-by-association system for collective responsibility of politicians? Will the uses of “policy activity expenses” transferred from parties to individual politicians be made public?

What measures will be taken to deal with the fundamental issue of the funds provided by companies and other organizations? The interim summary offers no answers to these critical questions.

As for LDP factions, the groups headed by Kishida, former Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai and party General Council Chairman Hiroshi Moriyama as well as the one that was once led by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have decided to “dissolve.”

But the factions headed by party Vice President Taro Aso and Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi intend to continue operating. In consideration of these two factions, the reform blueprint leaves a path open for them to survive as policy groups.

The reforms include a proposed ban on fund-raising parties by factions and the abolition of factional leaders’ distribution of “mochidai” (literally expenses for “mochi” rice cake expenses) and “koridai” (expenses for ice), funds to help subordinates win elections.

The LDP claims that these bans along with the remaining groups’ vow not to get involved in personnel affairs will eliminate the evils of factions related to money and political appointments

However, the actual outcomes of these steps are uncertain.

The LDP’s move to dissolve factions in 1994 ended up leading party lawmakers to revive factions through the following year’s party presidential election and other events.

After the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office’s Special Investigation Department decided on criminal charges against the individuals involved in the accounting operations for the Abe and other factions, lawmakers of the Abe faction have been divulging related information bit by bit.

However, the party should proactively investigate related facts, including the use of slush funds, and publicly report the findings as a whole.

The fact that the interim summary postpones actions to ensure “clear accountability” and “political responsibility that should be taken” to a future debate for conclusions also contradicts the LDP’s claim that the reform will restore trust.

Despite being a crucial decision affecting the party’s regeneration, Kishida, instead of holding a news conference on Jan. 25 to explain the reform plan, only briefly answered questions in a standing session with reporters.

If he cannot carefully answer questions about the reform, it is no surprise that Kishida's pledge to be a “fireball” to lead the party’s efforts to regain public trust is seen as a mere specious promise.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 26