Tokyo: The Liberal Democratic Party’s largest faction held its last general meeting at the Japanese ruling party’s headquarters on Thursday, as its senior members were urged to decide their own fate following a high-profile political funds scandal.

At the start of the meeting, former LDP General Council chair Ryu Shionoya said that the faction, formerly led by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, was founded in 1979 and this year marks its 45th anniversary.

“It is gut-wrenching that we have to close this historic group,” said Shionoya, who has recently served as the faction’s chairman.

But at the meeting, many participants complained that the faction’s executives had not adequately explained their involvement in the money scandal. Some urged them to take “political responsibility.”

Shionoya himself was urged to resign as a lawmaker. “I take (the call) seriously and will make a decision at an appropriate time,” he said.

On the day, the Abe faction decided to end its political activities, effective the same day, and begin the process of dissolving it. Any funds remaining after its dissolution would be donated, including to areas affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake that occurred on Jan. 1.

Meanwhile, the faction led by LDP Vice President Taro Aso held a regular meeting on Thursday and reaffirmed that it will continue as a “policy group.”

Aso indicated a plan to change the way his faction is run, based on the LDP political reform task force’s interim report calling for a shift from factions to policy groups.

“I would like to take time to consider what should be changed and what should not be changed,” Aso said.

Ahead of the regular meeting, former Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya submitted his resignation from the faction to Aso. It is the first scandal-related defection from the Aso faction.

“Now is the time for the LDP to start from scratch,” Iwaya told reporters. “I will work on political reform.”

JIJI Press