Toshihiro Nikai, a prominent and long-serving member of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, declared during a news conference that he will not seek re-election following a scandal involving a slush fund within his faction. The 85-year-old politician expressed regret for causing distrust in politics due to the faction's political funding issue and emphasized his decision to clarify his political responsibility by stepping down.
The controversy surrounding Nikai has centered on the scandal and the subsequent criminal punishment of the faction's former treasurer and his personal secretary for failing to report donations on the balance sheet. Despite being elected 13 times to the Lower House and serving as secretary-general under the administrations of Shinzo Abe and Yoshihide Suga, Nikai decided to retire, citing his supervisory role and political responsibility for the unreported funds. Nikai stated that the failure in reporting income totaling 35.26 million yen over five years was the main factor influencing his decision not to run for re-election.