TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Thursday that his office handed out gift vouchers to rookie lawmakers of his party and at his own expense, a revelation that could inflict a severe blow to his administration, given that his minority government needs opposition support to pass the budget and key bills.
“I must accept the criticism that my views are not in line with common sense,” Ishiba said on Friday at a budget committee meeting of the upper house. “I apologize sincerely for the distrust and anger I have caused.”
