Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi faces scrutiny for giving gift catalogues to over 300 ruling party MPs after a recent election victory.

TOKYO: Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is under pressure after it emerged she gave congratulatory gift catalogues to more than 300 lawmakers from her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

The revelation evokes a slush fund scandal that engulfed the LDP in 2023, sinking then-premier Fumio Kishida and fuelling voter anger.

Takaichi wrote on X that the gifts were “an expression of appreciation for their success at this very tough election” and that no taxpayer money was used.

She told parliament the cost was approximately 30,000 yen (USD 190) per person, paid for by political funds from an LDP branch in Nara which she heads.

The main opposition leader, Junya Ogawa, said the news “could easily lead people to say, ‘Prime Minister Takaichi, you too?’”.

“This is a new development in which she will be strictly held accountable,” he wrote on X.

Japan’s political funding law stipulates individuals cannot make donations to candidates, but donations can be made by political parties including their local chapters.

The gift catalogue reportedly came from the well-known Kintetsu Department Store.

Customers can make an advance payment of 34,000 yen to send a catalogue, with recipients choosing items like a bicycle, expensive crab meat or a luxury hotel stay.

The news follows criticism of Takaichi’s predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba, for allegedly handing out gift certificates to first-term lawmakers last year.

 The Sun Malaysia