Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has sparked controversy by giving gifts to party members following a landslide victory in the legislative elections in early February. Takaichi confirmed that the value of the gifts, including shipping fees and taxes, amounts to about 30,000 yen ($193) per person, which was paid from a fund collected by the party's local branch in the Nara region. This issue is highly sensitive in Japan after the 'black funds' scandal that rocked the party in 2023. While Japanese political funding law prohibits individuals from making gifts to candidates for public office, political parties, including their local branches, are authorized to do so.
