Political Scandal in Japan and the LDP Slush Fund Controversy

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August 11, 2025

Political Scandal in Japan and the LDP Slush Fund Controversy
Political Scandal in Japan and the LDP Slush Fund Controversy

Volume 23

Abstract: This paper offers an in-depth analysis of the massive political scandal of 2023–2024, in which dozens of lawmakers from Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) received undeclared funds from their factions. First, it provides a detailed timeline of the scandal and places it within the broader historical context of political scandals in Japan. Next, it examines the roles and actions of key participants, including power actors (politicians, secretaries, whistleblowers, prosecutors, and the prime minister) and media actors (mainstream newspapers, tabloid magazines, and political papers). Finally, the paper discusses two possible outcomes of the scandal: an optimistic scenario, where the scandal spurs meaningful reforms, and a pessimistic scenario, where it results in minimal or no transformative change.

Keywords: Political Corruption, Media Scandal, Slush Funds, Japanese Politics, Fumio Kishida

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Volume 23

About the author:

Igor Prusa, PhD et PhD, is a Czech Japanologist and media scholar affiliated with Ambis University Prague and Metropolitan University Prague. He is the author of “Scandal in Japan: Transgression, Performance and Ritual” (Routledge 2024). Prusa worked at the Czech Academy of Sciences andtaughtattheUniversity ofVienna,Universityof Zurich, and Tokyo Metropolitan University. Prusa received his first PhD in media studies at Prague’s Charles University in 2010. In 2017, he defended his second doctoral thesis at the University of Tokyo. Prusa’s research interests include media, culture, and society in Japan, as well as anti-heroism in popular fiction worldwide. Besides his academic activities, Igor Prusa is a guitarist and music composer in a Japan-themed band, Nantokanaru.

The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus is a peer-reviewed publication, providing critical analysis of the forces shaping the Asia-Pacific and the world.

    About the author:

    Igor Prusa, PhD et PhD, is a Czech Japanologist and media scholar affiliated with Ambis University Prague and Metropolitan University Prague. He is the author of “Scandal in Japan: Transgression, Performance and Ritual” (Routledge 2024). Prusa worked at the Czech Academy of Sciences andtaughtattheUniversity ofVienna,Universityof Zurich, and Tokyo Metropolitan University. Prusa received his first PhD in media studies at Prague’s Charles University in 2010. In 2017, he defended his second doctoral thesis at the University of Tokyo. Prusa’s research interests include media, culture, and society in Japan, as well as anti-heroism in popular fiction worldwide. Besides his academic activities, Igor Prusa is a guitarist and music composer in a Japan-themed band, Nantokanaru.

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