Kishida: LDP to Consider Questioning ex-Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori over Political Funds Scandal

Jiji Press

15:31 JST, March 16, 2024

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The ruling Liberal Democratic Party will consider questioning former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori over a high-profile political funds scandal involving LDP factions, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday.

“The party [LDP] will decide whether to question more people involved, based on a hearing of the [House of Representatives] political ethics panel next week,” Kishida told the House of Councillors Budget Committee, adding that Mori is one of those people.

Mori was once the head of the LDP’s largest faction, which was deeply involved in the money scandal. The faction was also led by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

On Monday, the lower house political ethics panel will question former LDP policy chief Hakubun Shimomura, who was a senior member of the Abe faction.

Shimomura’s statement on whether Mori was involved in the faction’s kickback scheme related to fundraising parties is expected to be closely watched.