Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi faces fresh allegations of habitually using political funds to purchase gifts, following controversy over presents she distributed to ruling party lawmakers after the recent general election.
The Tokyo Shimbun reported on the 28th that the Liberal Democratic Party's Nara Prefecture No. 2 constituency branch, which Takaichi heads, spent a total of 8.69 million yen (approximately $55,000) on gift purchases across 24 transactions at Kintetsu Department Store in Osaka between 2022 and 2024.
The spending included four instances where more than 1 million yen was charged in a single day. On December 25, 2024 alone, the branch purchased 1.71 million yen worth of items.
The branch used political funds for these purchases. The Tokyo Shimbun noted that "the method of purchasing gifts at department stores using political funds is similar to the recent distribution of catalog gifts to all LDP lawmakers."
The gifts Takaichi sent to newly elected lawmakers were reportedly wrapped in Kintetsu Department Store paper.
Takaichi's office responded that "political funds are being appropriately processed and reported in accordance with relevant laws and regulations."
On the 8th of this month, shortly after the general election, Takaichi distributed catalog gifts worth 30,000 yen (approximately $190) each to all 315 elected LDP members except herself. The total amounted to approximately 10.7 million yen (approximately $68,000). Catalog gifts allow recipients to select their preferred items from a booklet.
While Takaichi maintains the matter poses no legal issues, opposition parties are intensifying criticism, arguing it represents a recurrence of the LDP's chronic political fund misuse problems.