February 28, 2025
A closed-door hearing by the House of Representatives Budget Committee in regard to the Liberal Democratic Party’s slush-fund scandal with ex-treasurer of the now-defunct Abe faction, Matsumoto Jun’nichiro, took place on February 27.
The hearing began at 8:30 a.m. at a Tokyo hotel and lasted 40 minutes. Photography was only allowed at the beginning of the hearing and limited to four representatives of the press. Matsumoto was absent during the photoshoot.
Regarding the hearing, the LDP and Matsumoto had set conditions, including keeping the date, time, and the place secret and limiting the number of questioners. They had urged the Budget Committee to submit a list of questions in advance. In addition, they had made requests about question contents, such as these: “This is inappropriate” and “Eliminate duplicate questions.”
As observer members in the Budget Committee, Japanese Communist Party representative Tamura Takaaki, along with lawmakers of the Komei and “Reiwa” parties, sat in the hearing, but were not given the opportunity to ask questions.
Later in the day, JCP Executive Committee Chair Tamura Tomoko at a press conference in the Diet building protested against the handling of the hearing, saying that it failed to provide an opportunity for the JCP to question Matsumoto. Tamura demanded the summoning of former Abe faction executives and former Prime Minister Mori Yoshiro as sworn witnesses to testify before the Diet.
The hearing began at 8:30 a.m. at a Tokyo hotel and lasted 40 minutes. Photography was only allowed at the beginning of the hearing and limited to four representatives of the press. Matsumoto was absent during the photoshoot.
Regarding the hearing, the LDP and Matsumoto had set conditions, including keeping the date, time, and the place secret and limiting the number of questioners. They had urged the Budget Committee to submit a list of questions in advance. In addition, they had made requests about question contents, such as these: “This is inappropriate” and “Eliminate duplicate questions.”
As observer members in the Budget Committee, Japanese Communist Party representative Tamura Takaaki, along with lawmakers of the Komei and “Reiwa” parties, sat in the hearing, but were not given the opportunity to ask questions.
Later in the day, JCP Executive Committee Chair Tamura Tomoko at a press conference in the Diet building protested against the handling of the hearing, saying that it failed to provide an opportunity for the JCP to question Matsumoto. Tamura demanded the summoning of former Abe faction executives and former Prime Minister Mori Yoshiro as sworn witnesses to testify before the Diet.
