After Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) faced a complete trouncing in Sunday’s Upper House election, Abe admitted his lack of response to the lost pension record scandal as well as the general problem of politicians accepting illegal funds had played a part in the LDP defeat, at a press conference held at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo, the Asahi Shimbun reports.

“We have to reflect on what we did wrong, but what’s even more important is to make sure bring the economic recovery about. To fullfill that mission is my duty,” the Prime Minister commented on the election results.

On the political funding scandals, Abe said, “I have taken in the fact that some felt my response was insufficient,” and went on to admit “there had been some who suggested” that Farm Minister Norihiko Akagi had not offered adequate explanations for the two funding scandals he has become embroiled in.

Abe revealed that he intends to make the Political Funds Control Law revision the LDP and New Komeito brought about last Diet session, under which it is required for Diet members to publicize all receipts for expenses over 50,000 yen, the target for further revisions. “I think the general public has made it clear they think the revisions were insufficient. We will make stringent revisions,” Abe said, and indicated a first draft of the revision would be presented in the middle of August.

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