Ishiba rules out nomination of 12 lawmakers involved in slush funds

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has said it will exclude 12 lawmakers involved in a political slush fund scandal from the nomination for the next House of Representatives election.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the president of the Liberal Democratic Party, held an election headquarters meeting at the party headquarters in Tokyo today and decided not to nominate 12 lawmakers related to slush funds in the upcoming House of Representatives elections on the 27th.

Six former Abe lawmakers have been added to the six who have already decided to exclude nominations.

Hiroshi Moriyama, secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party, explained after the meeting that he made the decision after examining the local intentions and the situation of the constituency in detail.

Of the 12 lawmakers excluded from the nomination, 11 are members of the former Abe faction, which was the largest faction, and one is a member of the former Nikai faction.