Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Wednesday decided not to endorse 12 lawmakers implicated in a political funds scandal as official candidates in the upcoming general election, with its leader Shigeru Ishiba prioritizing the restoration of voter confidence.All but one belonged to an intraparty faction headed by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, including former education minister Koichi Hagiuda, a close aide to Abe, and former industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura.In the run-up to the Oct. 27 general election, the LDP under Ishiba, a longtime critic of Abe who was elected party l…READ FULL ARTICLE
