Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru / This is not a violation of the law. It is not a donation related to political activities. There is no problem under the Political Funds Control Act.

Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru explained that he distributed gift vouchers worth 100,000yen as souvenirs when he had a meeting with 15 rookie Liberal Democratic Party members on March 3.

He also said this was not the first time he had took such action, and stated that it was not violating the Political Funds Control Act or the Public Offices Election Act.

When a reporter asked him whether he intended to step down, he denied he would.

Ishiba apologized for worrying many people.

The Opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan has criticized the voucher-giving act as a “serious situation that could require his resignation.”