The Japan TimesFeb 4
The intense competition faced by Centrist Reform Alliance heavyweights in districts where they have enjoyed solid support for decades shows just how much of an uphill battle Sunday’s election is for the fledgling party. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/04/japan/politics/cra-veterans-tight-race/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #yukioedano #ichiroozawa #junazumi #koichihagiuda #2026lowerhouseelection #cra
CRA heavyweights’ heated contests allude to party’s uphill struggle in Sunday’s vote

Yukio Edano, Jun Azumi and Ichiro Ozawa are among candidates facing neck-and-neck races in their home turfs.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesFeb 4
Koichi Hagiuda, an LDP executive who is running in the Tokyo No. 24 constituency, is seeking to fully re-emerge from the party's high-profile slush fund scandal with an election victory. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/04/japan/politics/lower-house-election-tokyo-koichi-hagiuda/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #2026lowerhouseelection #koichihagiuda #ldp #politicalfunds #tokyo #komeito #hachioji
LDP executive seeks to leave slush fund scandal behind

Koichi Hagiuda was among the five leading figures of the now-defunct LDP faction once led by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which was at the center of the scandal.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesJan 8
Recent remarks of senior members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party-Japan Innovation Party coalition have put the topic of a snap election back into focus. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/08/japan/politics/diet-dissolution-snap-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #nipponishinnokai #sanaetakaichi #hirofumiyoshimura #koichihagiuda
Speculation over potential snap election resurfaces

Recent remarks of senior members of the ruling coalition appear to have gotten many talking again about the possibility of a dissolution of the Lower House in the near future.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesDec 24
A wave of visits to Taiwan by Japanese lawmakers is underway, underscoring the close ties between Tokyo and Taipei and drawing a sharp response from Beijing. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/24/japan/politics/japan-lawmakers-visit-taiwan-china-anger/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #koichihagiuda #china #taiwan #chinajapanrelations #taiwanjapanrelations #sanaetakaichi #laichingte #ldp
Flurry of Japanese lawmaker visits to Taiwan sparks China’s anger

Visits by Japanese lawmakers to Taiwan are not unusual, but the current round comes at a time of heightened tensions between Japan and China.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesDec 23
Koichi Hagiuda, deputy secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Monday agreed to strengthen Japan-Taiwan relations. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/23/japan/politics/japan-ldp-exec-taiwan-president-meet/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #koichihagiuda #laichingte #taiwanjapanrelations #ldp #chinajapanrelations
LDP exec Hagiuda and Taiwanese President Lai agree to boost ties

Hagiuda told Lai that he hopes to continue deepening what he described as the best-ever relations between the two sides.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesDec 22
Lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party continue to visit Taiwan despite the current tensions between Japan and China. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/22/japan/politics/japan-ldp-lawmakers-taiwan-visit/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #taiwanjapanrelations #chinajapanrelations #ldp #koichihagiuda #sanaetakaichi
LDP lawmakers continue to visit Taiwan amid tensions with China

Meanwhile, it seems unlikely that a multiparty group of Japanese lawmakers for Japan-China friendship will be able to send a delegation to China by the end of this year.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesDec 1
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Japan Innovation Party leader Hirofumi Yoshimura agreed to submit a bill during the current parliamentary session that will reduce the number of Lower House seats by 10%. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/01/japan/politics/seats-reduction-ldp-jip-agreement/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #nipponishinnokai #lowerhouse #diet #hirofumiyoshimura #komeito #koichihagiuda
Takaichi and JIP's Yoshimura agree to submit bill reducing Lower House seats

Passing a bill to cut seats in the lower chamber was a key demand for the Japan Innovation Party to enter into a coalition government with the Liberal Democratic Party.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesOct 23
The move, approved after the launch of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet, may draw criticism, as public sentiment on the scandal remains strong. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/23/japan/politics/slush-fund-lawmakers-posts/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #sanaetakaichi #koichihagiuda #corruption
Seven LDP slush fund lawmakers given government posts

The move may draw criticism, as public sentiment on the scandal remains strong.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesAug 15, 2025
A Tokyo court on Friday fined a policy secretary of LDP lawmaker Koichi Hagiuda for violating the political funds control law, amid fallout from a ruling party scandal. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/15/japan/koichi-hagiuda-secretary-fined/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politicalfunds #ldp #koichihagiuda #japanesecourts
Secretary of LDP's Hagiuda fined over funds scandal

The 46-year-old secretary, Toshifumi Ushikubo, was ordered to pay ¥300,000.

The Japan Times
The Japan TimesNov 6, 2024
A Japanese panel of citizens has voted against a decision by prosecutors not to indict a former secretary of lawmaker Koichi Hagiuda over a slush funds scandal at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/11/06/japan/politics/hagiuda-secretary-slush-funds/ #japan #politics #koichihagiuda #politicalfunds #ldp