Overview
- An internal midterm probe identified four Hyogo-area local legislators whose use of a corporate directorship to enter employer-based insurance was deemed a law‑evading avoidance of National Health Insurance, with party leaders signaling impending disciplinary action.
- The four are Hyogo prefectural members Hirochika Nagasaki and Ryo Akaishi, Kobe city councillor Yuko Minamino, and Amagasaki city councillor Kumi Nagasaki, who joined the general incorporated association Eikyo Renmei, paid fees, received ¥11,700 per month as directors, and enrolled in social insurance between February 2023 and December 2025.
- The scheme reduced contributions by basing premiums on the association’s low director pay rather than higher legislator compensation, a practice the party judged to violate the spirit of income-based burden sharing despite not necessarily breaching statutes.
- The survey of 807 officials found 19 respondents reported being solicited to join this or similar entities to lower social insurance payments, including 13 who cited Ishin affiliates, while investigators said they found no evidence to date of party-organized involvement.
- Leaders apologized and pledged continued investigation after identifying a July 2025 LINE group message promoting the tactic and noting that the association’s representative had previously served as a secretary to Ishin lawmaker Koichiro Ichimura and was employed by one implicated prefectural legislator.