TOKYO: The Diet, Japan’s parliament, on Wednesday approved a bill submitted by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to revise the political funds control law in the wake of the party’s “slush fund” scandal.

The bill was approved at the day’s plenary meeting of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, with support from the LDP and its coalition partner, Komeito.

Opposition parties, including the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), voted against the bill.

Later in the day, a parliamentary debate among political party leaders will be held for the first time in three years.

The CDP is poised to then submit a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s cabinet, urging the prime minister to dissolve the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber, for a general election.

JIJI Press