TOKYO: Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday declined a request by senior party lawmaker SHIONOYA Ryu to review a penalty given to him over a high-profile political funding scandal.

MORIYAMA Hiroshi, chair of the LDP’s General Council, told reporters that the party decided there were no grounds to review the penalty against Shionoya. No faults were found in the procedures for meting out the penalty, he said at a press conference.

The LDP plans to expel Shionoya if he does not submit a letter of resignation from the party by April 25.

In the scandal, many LDP lawmakers failed to report funds provided by intraparty factions, including the one once led by the late former Prime Minister ABE Shinzo. The LDP on April 4 meted out penalties against 39 members.

The members include Shionoya, former chair of the General Council, and Hiroshige Seko, former secretary-general for LDP lawmakers in the House of Councillors, who were urged to leave the party, the second-harshest among the party’s disciplinary measures. Both Shionoya and Seko held senior positions in the Abe faction.

On Friday, Shionoya demanded that his penalty be reconsidered, saying it was decided based on many factual errors. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Shionoya, who has said he would consider leaving the party if his request for a review of the penalty is turned down, said that there has been no change in this stance. Seko has already left the LDP.

JIJI Press