Japan's Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, faced criticism from opposition parties on Wednesday after admitting she had distributed congratulatory gifts worth tens of thousands of yen to lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) who won seats in the recent House of Representatives election.
In a parliamentary session, Takaichi admitted that her local LDP chapter used its political funds to send each of the party's 315 lawmakers catalogs listing gifts they could request, with a budget of around 30,000 yen ($192) per person. Takaichi confessed this in response to a question from an opposition lawmaker after press reports revealed the issue.
Japan's Political Funds Control Law imposes strict regulations on donations related to the political activities of public office candidates. Whether Takaichi's actions could constitute a violation of the law became a central point of debate.
This recent revelation comes amid persistent public distrust over money and politics, particularly towards the LDP, after many of its lawmakers were implicated in an irregular funds scandal that came to light at the end of 2023. After taking office in October 2025, Takaichi appointed several figures tainted by the scandal to key government positions. Takaichi herself was also accused last December of accepting a political donation that exceeded the legal maximum, fueling public outrage.
"The international community must firmly reject the reckless acts of Japanese new militarism," stated Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday. The spokesperson made these remarks at a regular press conference when responding to inquiries about the latest events within Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party regarding the easing of controls on arms exports.
"We have taken note of the report and are very concerned about the measure," Mao emphasized. Opposition parties criticized Takaichi on the issue, according to Xinhua, which reviewed materials from the Argentine News Agency (NA).
"The mindset of distributing gifts and the way of using money reflect the old culture of the LDP, something that we cannot overlook," reported Kyodo News, citing Junya Ogawa, leader of the Reformist Alliance of Center. Likewise, the spokesperson highlighted that in recent years Japan has reformed its security and defense policies, its officials have clamored for the possession of nuclear weapons, and the country has sought to revise the three anti-nuclear principles and lift restrictions on arms exports.
The latest measure once again laid bare the ambitions of Japan's right-wing forces to violate the post-war international order, free themselves from domestic laws, and remilitarize Japan, Mao indicated. "The international community must remain on high alert and jointly safeguard the fruits of victory in World War II and the post-war international order," the spokesperson reiterated.
However, Takaichi's external front is not limited to Beijing, as Japan has also received several warnings from Russia during her tenure. "Due to Japan's history of aggression, its movements in military and security areas have been closely watched by its Asian neighbors and the international community," Mao noted.
