Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks at a lower house budget committee meeting on March 13. (Photo by Uichiro Kasai)
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- An aide to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba distributed gift vouchers worth 100,000 yen ($676) each as souvenirs to rookie lower house members of his Liberal Democratic Party ahead of their visit with the premier at his official residence, participants said Thursday.
While sources familiar with the situation said all of the roughly 15 members who attended the March 3 dinner meeting returned the gifts, Ishiba is still likely to face increased criticism and scrutiny as the LDP continues to grapple with the fallout of a slush fund scandal that eroded public trust.