(Update) Ishiba Shows Resolve in Run-Up to Upper House Poll

   Tokyo, Dec. 8 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, at a meeting of his Liberal Democratic Party Sunday, admitted his responsibility for the LDP's crushing defeat in October's House of Representatives election and indicated his intention to speed up preparations for next summer's House of Councillors election to rebuild the ruling party's posture.
   "Everything, including the problems of politics and money and the party system, should be attributed to me as president" of the LDP, Ishiba said at the meeting of secretaries-general of the party's regional chapters, held at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo, referring to the election defeat that mainly stemmed from public distrust in politics over a slush funds scandal involving the LDP.
   "I may have forgotten my sincere understanding that the LDP owes what it is to its regional bodies," Ishiba also said.
   "We don't have that much time" before the Upper House election, the prime minister said, expressing his desire to hasten preparations.
   LDP Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama told the same meeting, "In the midst of political instability in many countries around the world, our party must unite and win at all costs to protect our people under a stable political system."

(2024/12/08-20:53)

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