Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks with reporters late on March 13. (Doni Tani)

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has adamantly maintained that he broke no laws when he distributed gift certificates to more than a dozen rookie lawmakers. Yet, no matter how many times he repeats, “There is no legal issue,” such a defense is unlikely to resonate with the public.

In light of the fierce backlash over the Liberal Democratic Party’s money scandal and ongoing debate on political funding reform between the ruling and opposition parties, Ishiba’s actions signal, at the very least, a troubling lack of political sensibility.

He now faces the harsh reality that his credibility as the nation’s leader is under serious scrutiny.

It has been revealed that on March 3, ahead of a dinner gathering at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence with 15 LDP lawmakers elected to the Lower House for the first time last autumn, Ishiba’s office distributed gift certificates worth 100,000 yen ($670) per person at his direction.

Late in the night of March 13, following media reports on the gifts, the prime minister hurriedly addressed reporters, stating; “I personally paid for them as souvenirs for the dinner.”

He insisted that since the gesture was not a donation related to any political activity, it did not violate the Political Fund Control Law. And because none of the recipients was a voter from his electoral district, Ishiba said, his act also did not contravene the Public Offices Election Law.

The Political Fund Control Law prohibits individuals from making donations to politicians for political activities.

Ishiba claims the gifts were merely an “expression of gratitude” for the lawmakers’ election campaign efforts and “do not constitute political activity.” However, it is difficult to accept that a gathering of politicians at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence could be anything other than a political event.

Moreover, the idea of giving souvenirs worth 100,000 yen per person is markedly out of touch with public sensibilities.

Given the prime minister’s fragile support base within the ruling party, it is hardly unreasonable to suspect that he was attempting to court favor with the newly elected lawmakers.

Regardless of the legal implications, there is no doubt that this incident has dealt a significant blow to Ishiba’s reputation as a politician.

Since his early days as a lawmaker, he has been a vocal advocate for political reform and once campaigned in the LDP presidential election under the banner of “honesty and fairness.”

He has long been regarded as a politician who struggles with building personal alliances, choosing to focus on policy debates rather than cultivating close relationships through dining and socializing.

In the end, was Ishiba unable to resist the entrenched political culture of the LDP?

This revelation could further deepen public disillusionment with the prime minister.

At the Upper House Budget Committee session on March 14, Ishiba reiterated that there were no legal issues but nonetheless apologized for fueling public distrust in politics.

“I regret having lost touch with the public’s sentiment,” he said.

An increasing number of LDP politicians were already losing confidence in Ishiba’s leadership, particularly after his abrupt reversal on a proposal to raise the monthly out-of-pocket cap on medical expenses, a measure aimed at curbing the rise in public health care spending.

With the summer Upper House election looming, some LDP members in that Diet chamber are openly calling for Ishiba’s resignation, arguing that a new party leader should be selected after passage of the budget for fiscal 2025, which starts in April.

As a prime minister with a tenuous grip on his own party, Ishiba relies heavily on public support to keep his administration stable. If his “reflection” fails to resonate with the people, his hold on power will become increasingly difficult.

--The Asahi Shimbun, March 15