Many Scandal-Mired Upper House Lawmakers to Face Ethics Panel

   Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)--Many House of Councillors lawmakers embroiled in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's slush funds scandal have shown their intent to face a parliamentary ethics panel, it was learned Tuesday.
   Many of the 27 scandal-tainted lawmakers from the LDP faction once led by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have told Masaji Matsuyama, secretary-general of the party's members in the upper chamber of the Diet, of their plan to attend a hearing of the chamber's Deliberative Council on Political Ethics, according to an LDP executive.
   It is highly likely that a panel hearing will be held Thursday, when the Diet is set to be convened for an extraordinary session.
   "We have not yet received assurances from everyone, but I think almost all (of the 27) will attend," the party executive said. The LDP plans to inform the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan of this soon.
   Upper House lawmakers, mainly those whose terms are set to expire next summer, have expressed their wish to face the ethics panel, after Prime Minister and LDP President Shigeru Ishiba did not allow House of Representatives members in the LDP who refused to attend an ethics panel hearing to stand for both constituency and proportional representation seats in last month's Lower House election.

(2024/11/26-23:13)

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