Overview
- A political fund tied to Lower House member Tsuyomitsu Okushita paid about ¥93,500 in 2023 for visits to a cabaret and a lounge, according to media reports.
- Party leader Hirofumi Yoshimura called the use of political funds for cabarets inappropriate, saying it is "odd" and should come from personal money.
- Yoshimura urged spending that taxpayers can understand and defend, signaling a push for tighter internal controls on political fund use.
- A separate disclosure shows Upper House member Kenta Aoshima’s fund spent ¥117,400 in 2024 at a cabaret and a girls bar; his office said the lawmaker did not attend and corrected the filing on December 8, citing an erroneous entry.
- Okushita has indicated he will refund the expenses, and the party’s handling of any discipline remains with the secretary-general; earlier scrutiny has also touched co-leader Fumitake Fujita over contracting linked to his public secretary.