Ishiba Denies Money Scandal Report

Tokyo, May 8 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Thursday denied a magazine report accusing him of failing to report over 30 million yen in political donations.

The Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine reports that "there were fictitious offices and party ticket purchases, but I don't remember such a thing at all," Ishiba told reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo.

Ishiba's personal office said Thursday in a written response to Jiji Press that "it is not true that a man who was a supporter purchased tickets for political fundraising parties or made donations, as reported by the weekly magazine."

"We handle (political funds) appropriately in accordance with law, and report incomes and expenditures," the office added.

Parliamentary affairs chiefs from opposition parties on Thursday agreed to ask Ishiba to speak about the matter before the House of Representatives political ethics panel.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]