Kyodo-Kishida Vows To Move LDP Away From 'Faction Mentality'

Japan's Kyodo News reporting comments from PM Fumio Kishida, claiming that he will seek to move his conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) away from a 'faction mentality'. The claim comes amidst investigations into the funding of party factions, also known as 'policy groups'. In response to the scandal the Kochikai faction previously led by Kishida, announcedtheir intention to dissolve, with pressure mounting on others to do so as well.

• Bloomberg reportsthat the LDP will propose a ban on factions fundraising for themselves, while the Japan Times indicates that there are deep divisions within the party between those advocating for a full dissolution of the faction/policy group system and those in favour of reforms.
• The faction system has been seen in both positive and negative lights. The LDP has dominated Japanese politics for most of the post-war period. A party without established factions could risk a lack of reform or new policies, but having factions centred around individuals and policy ideas ensures some element of turnover and change. However, it also risks horse-trading and bargaining between factions in an effort to gain and exercise power within the LDP.
• As Japan Times notes, "A Jiji Press poll on Thursday found that 56.3% of respondents thought the LDP should dissolve its factions, while 15.4% said it should not. The remaining 28.3% did not choose a side."