The de facto leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s largest faction filed a request Friday for a review of a recommendation that he leave the party over a political fundraising scandal. Ryu Shionoya, who serves as chairman of the faction formerly led by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, told reporters that the recommendation

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is considering imposing severe punishments on four of its senior members over their involvement in a political funds scandal, with non-endorsement in elections among the possible penalties, sources familiar with the matter said Saturday. The four members in question are former education minister Ryu Shionoya, former LDP policy chief Hakubun