The recent controversy involves Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's office, which reportedly provided catalog gifts to more than 300 members of the House of Representatives as a celebration of their election victories. Takaichi defended the action on the grounds that there are no legal issues involved, explaining that the gifts were financed through funds from her local chapter of the Liberal Democratic Party. This situation raises questions regarding the appropriateness of using political funds for personal celebratory gifts and whether this could lead to similar issues that arose from past incidents involving political donations.

Experts, like Professor Hoshin Iwai, who specializes in political finance, argue that contributions to politicians vary based on the source of funding. While personal donations of money or stocks to politicians are prohibited, party-based contributions are allowed. Last year, another incident involving former chairman Shigeru Ishiba came under fire when he was found to have given gift vouchers to newly elected members, drawing comparisons to the current situation with Takaichi, particularly regarding the potential misuse of political funds.

Moreover, the focus is on the labeling of the gifts with Takaichi's personal name, which could indicate that party funds, which are intended for broader political purposes, might have been used for personal gain. Critics question whether it is appropriate to use these funds for congratulatory gifts, suggesting that such actions reflect a lack of accountability in political financing. Iwai noted the significant amount of 100 million yen spent on gifts, indicating a disconnect from public sentiment and the principles of democratic funding.