Tokyo: Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga plans to call for the dissolution of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s factions as he is set to become a key member of a task force that the party will set up this week to discuss political reform, people familiar with the matter said.

The task force, to be headed by Prime Minister and LDP President Fumio Kishida, is expected to hold its first meeting on Thursday following a high-profile political funds scandal involving LDP factions.

Suga, who will assume the role of the task force’s top adviser, is expected to push for drastic reforms to regain public trust.

The task force is expected to draw up an interim report as early as this month. Based on the report, the political funds control law may be revised this year.

Other members of the task force are likely to include LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, LDP General Council Chairman Hiroshi Moriyama and former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. LDP Vice President Taro Aso, another former prime minister, will also serve as top adviser.

Suga has been unaffiliated with any LDP faction for most of his political life, and had slammed Kishida, who became prime minister in October 2021, for remaining a faction chief until last month.

Referring to the funds scandal, Suga has told aides that the public will not be convinced unless factions are dissolved, informed sources said. He said on radio last month that the party can be run without factions.

However, many in the party oppose dissolving factions. Even Kishida is cautious.

Kishida proposed a reform plan at a press conference Thursday which would keep the faction system intact. Asked on a television program broadcast Sunday whether dissolving factions is an option, he said only that discussions on the role of factions will be held.

Aso, Motegi and Moriyama lead their own respective factions. Moriyama has told reporters that factions play a positive role. Aso derives his political power from his faction, which is the second largest in the party.

JIJI Press