February 26, 2026 | 03:44 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi came under pressure on Wednesday after it was revealed that she gave a catalog of congratulatory gifts to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) parliament members following their landslide victory in this month's election.
More than 300 parliament members were given the choice to select items from the catalog "as an expression of appreciation for their success at this very tough election," Takaichi wrote in a post on X as reported by CNA, stating that no taxpayer money was used.
The disclosure evokes memories of the dark funds scandal that hit the LDP in 2023 and toppled then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. It triggered voter anger, leading to his successor coalition, Shigeru Ishiba, losing the majority in both houses of the parliament last year.
News of the catalog "could easily lead people to say, 'Prime Minister Takaichi, you too?'" said Junya Ogawa, leader of the main opposition, the Centrist Reform Alliance, on Tuesday.
"This is a new development in which she will be strictly held accountable," he wrote in a post on X.
Takaichi informed parliament on Wednesday that the cost of each gift, including delivery and tax fees, was approximately 30,000 yen (approximately Rp3.2 million) per person. These gifts were paid for with political funds from the LDP's Nara branch, which she leads.
She said on X that she also hoped the parliament members' gifts "would be of use in their future work as legislators."
Japanese political funding laws stipulate that individuals cannot provide donations to candidates for public office, but contributions can be made by political parties, including their local branches.
Bunshun Online, the web version of the weekly tabloid Shukan Bunshun, reported that the gift catalog originated from the well-known Kintetsu Department Store.
The store's website features various catalogs. Customers can make an upfront payment of 34,000 yen to send one of the vouchers to a friend, who can then choose an item from it, such as a bicycle, expensive crab meat, or a stay at a luxury hotel.
Last March, Ishiba was criticized for allegedly distributing 100,000 yen vouchers, paid for with his own money, to 15 first-term Lower House members at a dinner.
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