Japan's PM Kishida Faces Major Political Crisis Amid Corruption Scandal

Approval ratings plummet as allegations of pocketing excess fundraiser funds rock the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is facing a major political crisis due to a corruption scandal involving his party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Four cabinet ministers have resigned in the past fortnight, and Kishida's approval ratings have dropped to 17%, the worst in over a decade.
The scandal involves allegations of LDP politicians pocketing excess funds received at fundraisers, with the powerful Abe faction, named after the assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe, being the main focus.
Prosecutors have raided the offices of the Abe group and the Nakai faction, another leading LDP group, and are said to be investigating five of the six LDP factions for underreporting ticket funds.
Despite Kishida not being directly implicated in the scandal, public confidence in him continues to slide, and analysts suggest this could lead to a significant shake-up in Japanese politics.