Fri Mar 14 07:09:05 UTC 2025: ## Japanese Prime Minister Apologizes for Gift Scandal, Facing Budget and Election Challenges

**Tokyo, Japan** – Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba issued a formal apology Friday for gifting 100,000 yen ($673) gift certificates to 15 ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers. The action, described as a personal thank you for their electoral efforts, has sparked public outrage and threatens to further destabilize his already precarious administration.

Ishiba’s approval rating is already low at 36%, down from 44% in February, and this latest controversy comes at a critical juncture. The government is struggling to pass the next fiscal year’s budget by the March 31st deadline, facing pressure from opposition parties to amend the plan. Failure to pass the budget on time could force the government to resort to a temporary budget, severely damaging Ishiba’s standing and potentially hindering economic growth.

The political turmoil also casts a shadow over the upcoming upper house election scheduled for July. Ishiba’s coalition holds only a slim majority, and the gift scandal could further erode public trust, jeopardizing their chances of retaining control. Market analysts at Mizuho Securities have warned that the political instability, alongside existing global economic uncertainties, could further impact Japan’s economy.

While Ishiba insists his actions were legal and personally motivated, the apology followed criticism from within his own coalition and calls for his resignation from the opposition. LDP Diet Affairs Committee chair Tetsushi Sakamoto even expressed concerns that the scandal could delay the crucial budget passage.

This incident follows previous controversies surrounding unrecorded donations to lawmakers, further eroding public confidence. Japan’s economy, while showing 2.8% annualized growth in the final quarter of 2023, is projected to slow significantly this year due to rising costs and slowing global demand. The current political crisis adds another layer of uncertainty to the economic outlook.

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