Japanese Slam Kishida’s Call For Tax Filing Amid Party Scandal

During a Diet debate on the slush fund scandal engulfing the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urged Japan's residents to file their income tax returns beginning on February 16, as reported by Mainichi Japan.

Apart from the off-the-books cash reserves maintained by numerous LDP members, the party also provided them with technically legal "political activity expenses," the usage of which doesn't require reporting. I Photo: Prime Minister's Office of Japan Facebook

The statement, made even as LDP lawmakers face accusations of tax evasion linked to political funding, triggered a wave of social media comments such as, "If he wants taxes filed, the slush-fund parliamentarians should just quit."

Phrases like "call to pay taxes" and "before submitting tax returns" began trending.

Apart from the off-the-books cash reserves maintained by numerous LDP members, the party also provided them with technically legal "political activity expenses," the usage of which doesn't require reporting.

If individual politicians retained their slush funds or leftover "activity expenses," such funds could be classified as miscellaneous income and subject to taxation.

During rigorous deliberations at a February 14 House of Representatives Budget Committee session, opposition members raised suspicions that the slush funds from LDP faction parties might constitute tax evasion.

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