The ruling Liberal Democratic Party is considering expanding the scope of fundraising party ticket buyers, whose names must be made public, through a revision of the Political Funds Control Law, sources said on Thursday.
Specifically, the LDP is currently exploring the idea of lowering the mandatory disclosure threshold from ¥200,000 per buyer per fundraising party, following a request from its junior coalition partner, Komeito, a senior LDP member said.
The LDP is also considering the possibility of requiring lawmakers to disclose how they used ¥1 million in stipends they receive monthly to help cover the costs of their research, public relations and other activities as lawmakers.
The party, which had shown reluctance to such changes, changed its position after the main opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, lost all three of Sunday’s by-elections for the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the parliament of country had won.
The LDP wants to accelerate talks with Komeito after the country’s Golden Week holiday period until Monday, to make a decision as soon as possible on the ruling camp’s proposal for a revision of the Law on the Control of Political Funds .
Such a review is being considered amid a public outcry over a high-profile scandal involving LDP factions in which fundraising income was diverted back to some faction members.
