Japanese Prime Minister Ishiwari Shigeru stated on March 14 regarding the distribution of gift certificates to the first elected Liberal Democratic Party members of the House of Representatives: “I'm very sorry for causing trouble and concern to many people. I'm very sorry about that.” Shigeru Ishiwari once again emphasized that this incident did not violate the Political Funds Regulation Law and the Public Office Election Law at all. Kyodo News previously reported that while Ishiwari Shigeru and the first Liberal Democratic Party member of the House of Representatives had dinner at his official residence on the 3rd of this month, the Prime Minister's Office distributed gift vouchers to these new members of parliament in the name of small gifts. A number of participants and others confirmed that it was 100,000 yen per person. On the same day, about 15 first-time elected members of the House of Representatives attended the dinner. According to Liberal Democratic Party related sources, everyone has refunded it.

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiwari Shigeru stated on March 14 regarding the distribution of gift certificates to the first elected Liberal Democratic Party members of the House of Representatives: “I'm very sorry for causing trouble and concern to many people. I'm very sorry about that.” Shigeru Ishiwari once again emphasized that this incident did not violate the Political Funds Regulation Law and the Public Office Election Law at all. Kyodo News previously reported that while Ishiwari Shigeru and the first Liberal Democratic Party member of the House of Representatives had dinner at his official residence on the 3rd of this month, the Prime Minister's Office distributed gift vouchers to these new members of parliament in the name of small gifts. A number of participants and others confirmed that it was 100,000 yen per person. On the same day, about 15 first-time elected members of the House of Representatives attended the dinner. According to Liberal Democratic Party related sources, everyone has refunded it.