Shigeru Isehiba gave the parliamentarians gifts. Now he has a problem

The Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Ishba admitted that he had distributed a group of parliamentarians who for the first time obtained parliamentary fines, gift vouchers. The behavior of the head of the government caused controversy. The opposition demands his resignation.

Last week, the Prime Minister of Japan met with a group of deputies at dinner. On Thursday, the politician confirmed the media reports that he had given presents before the meeting. Shigeru Ishiba explained to journalists that each of his 15 guests was handed over to a gift voucher worth 100,000 yen (about PLN 2.5 thousand). He also noted that he paid for vouchers out of his own pocket and in his opinion he did not break the law.

Despite this, the behavior of the politician aroused controversy in the country. Critics Ishby pay attention to the provisions in Japan that prohibit individuals to transfer cash donations in connection with their activities. The content of the act regulating this act not only applies to giving cash, but also gift vouchers, joint bins and checks.

Shigeru Isehiba handed the gift vouchers to the deputy. Caused a scandal

Prime Minister IShiba argues that his donation was not related to the political activities of the deputies. He presents her as a commemoration of a joint dinner and a expression of appreciation for deputies and members of their families. Although he does not perceive his behavior as something negative, he apologizes for the “anxiety” it caused.

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Other members of the Liberal Democratic Party have been cut off from the gifts of the head of government. The recipients themselves are also refraining from them, who, as NHK has established, have already returned vouchers. – I think that distributing such things is inappropriate – says the MP cited by the station. The opposition demands the resignation from the prime minister. “If (IShiba) cannot dispel suspicions (related to the awarding of property benefits), he should not be prime minister,” said Yuichiro Tamaki, head of the People's Democratic Party (LDP).

The case of gifts from the head of the government came to light only a few months after election defeatwhich the currently opposition LDP party suffered in connection with a series of political and financial scandals in its ranks. Isehiba himself, when he took office, announced reforms to prevent subsequent financial irregularities. His coalition has recently lost support.

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