Ex-Japan PM Kishida now in spotlight over distributing gift vouchers

That's a really dim spotlight.

Did he really expect this to NOT HAPPEN ?!

Another day, another report of jimin sleaze.

Rotten to the very core. Especially, Ishiba. He is a career politician, his income is from the state, any “pocket money” he has comes from our taxes.

Aso, Kishida, and Motegi held a private dinner meeting just before the news about Ishiba's coupon scandal broke. It seems likely that they intended for this news to surface, possibly as a way to push Ishiba out and position their preferred candidate, Takaichi, as his replacement. The leak likely came from a mole—perhaps a newer member at the dinner who belonged to one of their factions. However, with Kishida now implicated, the situation has spiraled beyond their control, creating unintended consequences for the entire LDP. Backroom plotting instead of working on real issues affecting the population.

Time for the LDP to be put out to pasture along with their corruption!

It's nice to spend peoples money, that's why politicians is willing to silent or kill anybody in thier ambitions.

An upper house member of the LDP said Sunday it was a "standard practice" followed by past prime ministers to distribute gift vouchers. But he later retracted the comment, saying it was not based on fact.

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Which upper house member Kyodo News?

It certainly seems to be standard practice as well as steak dinners, souvenir shopping, sakura parties, educational and political indoctrination, bribery, fibbing and forgetfulness.

The LDP..the longest running soap opera in the world.

The fat lady is now rehearsing for a summer appearance.

Why am I not surprised? This has probably been going on for decades. Can I have a 100,000 yen voucher too, please?

Fueling speculation that gift-giving is a common practice among lawmakers in power.

speculation? lol

Likely this has been going on for years and decades. I don't think anybody is really surprised to learn that.

When are politicians going to learn how to manage the 'appearance' of impropriety better? Amazing LDP going thru this again, so any surprise Japan's now leaderless?

Issue of legality, practice, etc. are all red herrings. The economy is terrible and the average citizen is suffering financially. We citizens of Japan cannot stop our economic pain but we can make sure those responsible feel some of it: do not vote for the LDP again for at least 10 years.

Sam WattersToday  12:39 pm JST

We citizens of Japan cannot stop our economic pain but we can make sure those responsible feel some of it: do not vote for the LDP again for at least 10 years.

Business owners could make them feel even more pain by not donating money to them anymore. Hitting them in their wallets would really hurt.

How about some gift vouchers for different coloured suits

@Simon Foston. Agree 100%.

WA4TGK - yes

No wonder sons and daughters of politicians also want to get into politics. Obviously they know something we don't.

The office of Taro Aso, who was prime minister between 2008 and 2009, declined to give a clear answer when asked by Kyodo News whether gift vouchers were distributed while he was in office.

"We handled it appropriately, taking into consideration the nature of meetings with parliamentarians"

Translated into English this means he was doing the same thing.

I used to get department store coupons from my students in my eikaiwa days back in the 80s. Have the LDP dinosaurs ever heard of cashless payments?

Imagine a world with honest administrators, like geez.

Japanese Diet members are the highest level paid in the world. But, LDP regime has neglected even present unprecedented poverty that general public facing, and they have just fattened their pockets from taxpayer money.

The salary of the Japanese prime minister. ¥40,490,000/ USD$ 257,597 annually

The salary of the American president. $400,000.

Japanese Diet members are the highest level paid in the world.

Tim SullivanMar. 20  07:48 pm JST

I used to get department store coupons from my students in my eikaiwa days back in the 80s. Have the LDP dinosaurs ever heard of cashless payments?

Cash is less traceable and easier to "forget" about.

""If (voucher-giving) was habitual, then it is inappropriate," Komeito policy chief Mitsunari Okamoto said..."

Komeito needs to disassociate from Jiminto, and join the opposition coalition.