Japan's Takaichi Mulling Ministers' Fundraising Rule Change

Tokyo, Dec. 12 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Friday that she is considering revising the country's ministerial code of conduct as it lacks concrete standards to stop ministers from holding large fundraising parties.

Takaichi told a Budget Committee meeting in the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, or parliament, that when she previously served as a cabinet minister she "struggled the most" with the code's lack of concrete standards for defining large parties.

The remark came in response to a question by Shinichi Shiba of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, who grilled the government over a fundraising party held by Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama after she took office that drew some 800 attendees.

The ministerial code of conduct, which sets out the roles and duties of cabinet ministers, state ministers and parliamentary vice ministers, was adopted by the cabinet in 2001.

Japan's ruling parties aim to enact the government's draft supplementary budget for fiscal 2025 on Tuesday, before the current Diet session concludes the following day.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]