Japan’s leader grilled in parliament over widening fundraising scandal, link to Unification Church

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and several key Cabinet ministers have been grilled by opposition lawmakers in parliament over a widening fundraising scandal that threatens to further drag down the government’s sagging popularity. Dozens of governing party lawmakers, including Cabinet members, are accused of failing to fully report money they received from fundraising. Kishida has acknowledged that authorities are investigating the scandal following a criminal complaint. The scandal could further weaken his grip on power within the governing Liberal Democratic Party. Still, the long-ruling party remains the voter favorite in media polls because of the fragmented and weak opposition.