Fundraising scandal in Japan's ruling party turns heat on embattled PM Kishida

FILE PHOTO: Fumio Kishida, Japan's prime minister, speaks during a news conference at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, Japan, November 2, 2023. Kiyoshi Ota/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan's ruling party faced mounting scrutiny on Thursday amid reports that lawmakers will be investigated over fundraising - a scandal that threatens to further dent Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's sinking popularity.

Tokyo prosecutors will start investigating several dozen lawmakers from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), including current ministers, next week over more than 100 million yen ($680,000) of fundraising proceeds that are not in official records, local media reported.