TOKYO, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) of Japan on Thursday morning submitted a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's cabinet due to a controversial revised political funds control law, which has been criticized for not sufficiently improving financial transparency.
Supported by the Japan Innovation Party and other minor parties, the no-confidence motion, however, is expected to be voted down in the House of Representatives' afternoon session on Thursday, with opposition from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner Komeito party.
The CDP demanded more substantial changes, including banning corporate donations to political parties to restore public trust, which they argue has been eroded by a fundraising scandal involving the Kishida-led LDP.
The ruling coalition, comprised of the LDP and the Komeito party, approved the bill revising the political funds control law, which passed the Diet just before the end of the current parliamentary session. The LDP has faced intense scrutiny over allegations that some of its factions, particularly the largest one formerly led by late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, failed to report portions of their income from fundraising parties and created slush funds.
Kishida, facing low approval ratings since his cabinet's formation in October 2021, promised to revise the political funds control law for better transparency. Amendments included lowering the threshold for disclosing names of fundraising ticket purchasers and changing reporting rules for policy activity funds.
Despite these changes, the opposition criticized the amendments as insufficient. Kishida rejected calls to dissolve the lower house, focusing instead on securing reelection in the LDP's presidential race in September.
A vote on the no-confidence motion will be held during the House of Representatives plenary session scheduled for 2 p.m. local time on Thursday. ■