Charges against Japanese premier in political funds scandal dropped

ISTANBUL

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has found himself rescued after prosecutors dropped charges against him in the political funds scandal.

Prosecutors cited “lack of evidence” in the matter, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported Tuesday.

Besides Kishida, charges against several other current and former lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has ruled Japan since 1955 except for six years, have been dropped in the case.

In recent months, Japanese prosecutors have raided, questioned, and arrested members of the ruling party amid a probe into a criminal complaint accusing five factions of underreporting revenue generated through political fundraising events over five years until 2022.

Several former LDP members have been indicted in the scandal, which has resulted in the loss of public support to the party.

The party is also facing accusations of links with controversial Unification Church.

Amid a record drop in public approval, LDP-backed Yuriko Koike won the Tokyo gubernatorial election on Sunday for a record third time.

However, observers noted that Koike’s win was unlikely to take pressure off Kishida who will face a party leadership contest in the next few months.

Kishida-led LDP has formed a task force to lead political reform and whether there was a need for intra-party factions.