Kishida steps down as ruling party faction head amid funds scandal

How high is current poll number? Is it time to call for snap election?

Kishida was failing at his job and was becoming a laughing stock!

He had to go…

Is it time to call for snap election?

Would it make any difference? I guarantee the LDP would get back in since the opposition is in perpetual disarray, the electorates are gerrymandered and the whole bureaucratic and industrial system rather likes having the LDP as the only party it has to deal with.

I don't think Kishida has really gone anywhere, kurispisu. He is still PM. He just stepped down as faction leader, which had not done before and which PMs usually do.

Kishida, who heads the fourth-largest faction within the LDP, told reporters, "I will take the lead in the party's political responsibilities and efforts to restore public trust."

Translation: By this voluntary move which carries few consequences I will ensure the rank and file pols receive no consequences for the crime of fraud and can continue business as usual.

Choices, choices . . Snap election or tummy trouble? Hmm

The prosecutors are considering questioning lawmakers of the faction called Seiwaken, or the Seiwa policy study group, who are alleged to have accepted large sums in kickbacks, once the current parliamentary session ends next Wednesday, according to the sources.

Ho ho. They can't stop all this coming out now. It's too big to keep hushed up and the prosecutors will have to be seen to be doing their jobs properly. I'm sure there was a very amicable arrangement before but now the politicians have been dumb enough to get caught self-preservation will take precedence and they will have to be thrown under the bus. I expect a few of them to have to go a bit further than just resigning from their factions.

Yet the japanese will keep voting LDP.

It was nice knowing you, Kish. The only question is how many weeks/months before he's apologizing and bowing to the public and the LDP elects a new president.

How many parachutes does Kishida have? He just keeps bailing out, while leaving the rest of the crew behind.

"Kishida steps down as Prime Minister amid funds scandal." One can only dream..

Yet the japanese will keep voting LDP.

Quite a number of times I've asked some oldsters in Japan why they vote LDP. Their reply: "Because LDP always wins." They vote based on who they think will win, NOT based on who they think SHOULD win. It's a horserace to them. They are betting on a winner. They don't understand the purpose of elections. Democracy is still too new of a concept in Japan.

They are betting on a winner. They don't understand the purpose of elections. Democracy is still too new of a concept in Japan.

Maybe they do understand the purpose of these elections - ever looked at it that way?

"I will take the lead in the party's political responsibilities and efforts to restore public trust."

Thanks JT. Needed a laugh this morning.

Quite a number of times I've asked some oldsters in Japan why they vote LDP. Their reply: "Because LDP always wins." They vote based on who they think will win, NOT based on who they think SHOULD win. It's a horserace to them. They are betting on a winner. They don't understand the purpose of elections. Democracy is still too new of a concept in Japan.

Nailed it!

commanteer

Today 08:10 am JST

"They are betting on a winner. They don't understand the purpose of elections. Democracy is still too new of a concept in Japan."

Maybe they do understand the purpose of these elections - ever looked at it that way?

If that's really their rationale I'm not sure they do although I suppose it depends on what you think the purpose really is.

Maybe they do understand the purpose of these elections - ever looked at it that way?

As in the G20 and especially Japan the so-called democratic process is a corporate purchased sham and there is no more choice than in Russia or North Korea and elections just put a manufactured imprimatur on an oligarchic manager?

Unfortunately the electorate who votes and benefits from LDP rule are largely satisfied with the way things go and the vast majority of dissatisfied are utterly dis-empowered and marginalized.

Until the people hold their own LDP representatives responsible as a part of the whole problem, things will never change.

No one likes betting on a looser.

LDP factions give members election funding and recommended them for ministerial posts. Around 80 percent LDP lawmakers involved in intraparty groups.

But critics point out LDP lawmakers take every single opportunity to generate secret funds

meanwhile in 2023 its difficult to trace exactly how they receive the money from their groups and how they use the Loot because— WHAT IN THE… -MY number CARD???

totally unseriuous pathetic excuses. Whats with all the fancy cards and readers?

Free points and taxes?

Whose even buyin these PR excuses writeups anymore?

This is sad. Like the same lame Joke over an over just wrote itself. One day maybe but for now

x80 more yrs and Kanpaii! These Looters dont…p¥

Folks still remember the last time a party other than the LDP was given a shot. Can you believe it was actually worse? And that’s when the opposition was actually united and halfway organized, unlike the fragmented & discombobulated mess it is present day. Perhaps one day there will be a movement, but I don’t see it anytime soon, no matter how bad public opinion gets. There’s just no other viable option right now.

Typical Japanese management.

If things go bad, they run from the problems

or just blame someone else.

They never actually solve things or find solutions.

it’s a wonder why nothing ever improves .

So if Kishida was to throw in the towel and resigned completely as prime Minister who would take his place ?

a cardboard box would be just as effective as he is.

in fact, a cardboard box would save us tax payers more money.

replace him with a cardboard box.

It doesn’t even have to be in mint shape.

@AgeOfAsparagas

Results of surveys will tell you why people do support the LDP. Because they consider it is the only party viable to lead the country, whatever the scandals.

Otherwise, I am not sure it is worth to discuss Japanese politics with locals. Because they certainly consider foreigners are not knowledgeable on the internal matters of Japan, and a second reason is that they avoid any potential conflictual talks. Whatever the question you ask, I am not sure you will get a fair and true answer of their real thinking

So if Kishida was to throw in the towel and resigned completely as prime Minister who would take his place ?

Even if he would consider it, Biden would not give his consent. He will stay on.

Justin F. Kayce

Today 11:23 am JST

Folks still remember the last time a party other than the LDP was given a shot. Can you believe it was actually worse?

No, I think that's a gross over-simplifaction. Hatoyama fudged the Okinawa base issue, but the Tohoku Disaster got as bad as it did due to decades of LDP mismanagement, the bureaucrats were all still on the LDP's side, and Noda got double-crossed by Shinzo Abe over consumption tax. On the basis of three years in government compared to decades, I think saying that the DPJ were worse is a false equivalency.

AureliusToday  10:25 am JST

So if Kishida was to throw in the towel and resigned completely as prime Minister who would take his place ?..............................................I would offer my services readily, but living in Oxfordshire UK might proves a trifle difficult because I do not want to move. But then, Kishida is rarely actually in Japan it might be OK.

YubaruToday  09:14 am JST

Until the people hold their own LDP representatives responsible as a part of the whole problem, things will never change.

The people can do that when they have a single viable alternative to the LDP candidate in their constituency. It's no good having lots of small parties splitting the opposition vote.