Japan PM Ishiba Flip-Flops over Election Endorsement

   Tokyo, Oct. 7 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, president of the Liberal Democratic Party, has flip-flopped over whether to endorse LDP members involved in a slush fund scandal as official candidates in the next general election.
   Ishiba had leaned toward the idea of not denying official endorsement to such LDP members in the Oct. 27 election of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, as he saw a need to secure party unity.
   But he decided against allowing scandal-tainted members running in single-seat constituencies to also seek proportional representation seats in case they lose in their constituencies. Some of them, especially those punished by the party over the scandal, will not even be granted party endorsement as candidates for constituency seats.
   "We now leave their fate to the judgment of voters," Ishiba said when he announced his decision Sunday. "We seek understanding and support from the public."
   On whether to endorse party members involved in the scandal, Ishiba was torn between public expectations for tough action against them and calls for leniency from such party members.

(2024/10/07-15:52)

To read a full story, please click here to find out how to subscribe.