HIROSHIMA: Japanese Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru on Thursday lashed out at media reports about his ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s distribution of funds to party branches led by members who are running in Sunday’s general election without the party’s official endorsement due to their involvement in the party’s “slush fund” scandal.

“I really feel resentment,” Ishiba said during a campaign speech in the western city of Hiroshima. “The funds were given to party branches, not to the unendorsed candidates.”

The LDP headquarters has reportedly given 20 million yen, including in the name of activity expenses, each to party branches headed by eight scandal-tainted candidates.

Following the reports, opposition parties are stepping up their criticism of the LDP’s money scandal, arguing that its decision not to endorse the scandal-tainted candidates lacks substance.

“We cannot succumb to biased media reports and views,” the prime minister stressed, adding that the funds in question are not being used for the upcoming House of Representatives election, but for activities to inform the public about the LDP’s policies at a time when the party is facing strong headwinds.

JIJI Press