The Liberal Democratic Party will decide on the punishment of 39 members of the Abe and Nikai factions at the Party Disciplinary Committee on the 4th due to issues surrounding factional political funding parties. However, as there is a gap in opinion within the executive department regarding the severity of the punishment, etc. regarding the three former general secretary generals, we are hurrying to make arrangements.
Regarding this issue, the Liberal Democratic Party will hold a party discipline committee meeting at party headquarters on the afternoon of the 4th, and will decide on the punishment of 39 members, including members of the Abe and Nikai factions.
Of the four Abe faction executives who discussed the handling of kickbacks, Shioya, former Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, who served as the faction's chairman, and Seko, the former House of Councilors secretary-general, who was the top leader on the House of Councilors side, were recommended to leave the party, and Shimomura, The former Chairman of the Political Affairs Research Council and former Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Nishimura will be suspended from party membership for one year, as they are held responsible for continuing to give kickbacks.
However, there is a difference of opinion within the executive branch over the severity of the punishment regarding the three former Secretary-Generals, Takagi, former head of the National Diet Countermeasures Committee, and former Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno, who are pro-Abe, and Takeda, former Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, who is pro-Nikai. Due to this, we are hurrying to make adjustments.
On the other hand, members such as Hagiuda Hagiuda, former chairman of the party's political affairs research committee, who have not recorded more than 20 million yen over a five-year period will be suspended from their party positions for one year.
In addition, we have decided to issue a ``reprimand'' to members of Congress who have failed to record amounts of more than 5 million yen but not more than 10 million yen.
The Party Disciplinary Committee has asked the 39 people to submit written explanations by 10 a.m. on the 4th if they wish to do so, and will take this into account when deciding on the punishment.