Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at an Upper House Budget Committee session on May 22 (Takeshi Iwashita)

Following a fund-raising scandal that engulfed the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the Lower House started deliberations on May 22 on five bills to revise the Political Fund Control Law.

However, with the LDP-submitted bill not having the support of its junior coalition partner, there seemed little likelihood of Diet approval in the current session, despite a pledge by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Lawmakers from the LDP and opposition parties outlined their bills at a meeting of the Lower House special committee on political reform on May 22.

Kishida has vowed to have revisions approved by the Diet before the ongoing ordinary session closes on June 23.

“The primary focus of the current Diet session is to revise the Political Fund Control Law to prevent a recurrence (of the scandal),” Kishida told an Upper House Budget Committee session on May 22. “It will be accomplished by the end of the session.”

In explaining the LDP’s bill, Lower House member Keisuke Suzuki emphasized the importance of transparency of political funds.

“While seeking to realize politics that costs less money, necessary provisions should be made by law to ensure transparency of necessary political funds on condition that politicians make a point of shaping up,” Suzuki told the special committee session.

The LDP aimed to submit a joint bill with Komeito, its junior coalition partner. 

But Komeito demanded stricter regulations, forcing the LDP to go it alone. Komeito did not submit its own bill.

The LDP needs support from other parties to revise the law because it does not hold a majority in the Upper House.

The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Democratic Party for the People submitted a bill with a parliamentary group of independent lawmakers.

Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party), another opposition party, submitted a separate bill.

While the LDP plans to strengthen penalties to prevent a recurrence, other parties prioritize enhancing transparency of political funds.

The LDP and other parties, including Komeito, remain at odds particularly over disclosure rules concerning fund-raising parties, which are at the center of the LDP scandal, and reviews of policy activity expenses, the usage of which politicians are not required to declare.

The LDP hopes to have its bill clear the Lower House by the end of May, at the earliest, but negotiations with other parties are expected to face difficulties.

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