Japan’s PM Kishida to replace chief Cabinet secretary

TOKYO – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plans to replace Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno amid media reports that he had received undeclared political funds, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Dec 9, citing government and ruling party sources.

The Chief Cabinet Secretary is the Premier’s de facto No. 2 in government.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its leader, Mr Kishida, are facing mounting scrutiny after allegations the party’s lawmakers – including Mr Matsuno and other high-profile members – may have pocketed more than 100 million yen (S$925,000) of fund-raising proceeds that were left off the books.

Media outlets have reported that Tokyo prosecutors are looking to investigate lawmakers after the current session of Parliament ends on Dec 13.

Kyodo news agency said a plan to reshuffle the Cabinet and appoint new party officials had also emerged. The changes could happen after the end of the Parliament session, it said.

Mr Matsuno is

suspected of having failed to declare more than 10 million yen he received

in the past five years from the biggest faction in the LDP, the Asahi newspaper and others have reported.

Mr Matsuno has declined to comment on the allegations. No one was immediately available at his office or the Prime Minister’s office to comment on the Yomiuri report on Dec 9.

Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura and Mr Koichi Hagiuda, chairman of the LDP’s policy research council, are among those suspected of having failed to declare political funds properly, according to the media.

Mr Nishimura has declined to comment, and no one at his office was available to comment on Dec 9.

Mr Hagiuda told reporters last week that his organisation has handled the matter in accordance with the law, Kyodo reported. No one was available at his office on Dec 9.

Public support for the Kishida government has slid to a record low, partly due to voter worries over rising costs and looming tax hikes. REUTERS