Prosecutors have announced they are looking into allegations that Daiko provided at least ¥14 million on three occasions to a firm run by an acquaintance of a former Games official.
Despite recent electoral gains, the second largest opposition group in parliament must learn to appeal to voters outside Kansai and further distinguish itself from the ruling LDP.
Since organizing a 1977 soccer event featuring Pele, Haruyuki Takahashi has been a towering figure in the sports business world.
The scandal is also being watched closely in Sapporo, which is bidding to host the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
With returning faces at the top again, the CDP faces questions over how it plans to convince voters it can offer a fresh alternative to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
The city is in the middle of efforts to drive up public support for its 2030 Winter Games bid, and reduced enthusiasm due to the scandal could prove fatal.
The Osaka-based party could become more prominent on the national stage by aligning itself more closely with the LDP, but the risk of a split looms too.
The changes to the Cabinet lineup may do little for the Kishida administration’s falling popularity ratings and could impact its efforts to deal with primary policy issues.
The prime minister, who represents a district in Hiroshima, is also expected to call for greater transparency among nuclear powers regarding their stockpiles and capabilities.
With the sale timeline and conditions, as well as a potential buyer, being unclear, plans for a casino on the site of Huis Ten Bosch have been thrown into uncertainty.
