Ishiba Vows to Squarely Face Voters' Judgment

   Tokyo, Oct. 9 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said in a parliamentary debate among party leaders on Wednesday that his ruling Liberal Democratic Party will squarely face the judgment of voters in the upcoming general election, following a high-profile "slush fund" scandal that has rocked the party.
   "It is imperative that we continue to run the government," Ishiba said. The House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, was dissolved later on Wednesday for the Oct. 27 general election.
   During the debate, Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, criticized the dissolution as a move to "hide the slush fund scandal."
   Referring to LDP members who have failed to report some political funds in the scandal, Noda pointed out that "most" of the "slush fund lawmakers" will still receive the party's official endorsement in the election. The LDP has decided not to officially endorse 12 of them.
   Ishiba responded that the LDP had "carefully" discussed whether to endorse these members.

(2024/10/09-21:21)

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