Is Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba really prepared to regain public trust that has been lost due to the slush fund scandal surrounding factions of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)? Looking at his stance, our doubts cannot be dispelled.

Legislators took part in a Diet budget committee meeting on Dec. 5 for the first time since the LDP suffered a major defeat in the October House of Representatives election. Deliberations focused on the Political Funds Control Act.

Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), called on legislators to look back on the "political reforms of the Heisei era (1989-2019)" and impose a ban on political donations from companies and organizations. Those reforms introduced taxpayer-funded political party subsidies and banned corporate and group donations.

In 1994, donations to individual politicians were also banned. Donations to political parties were supposed to be considered five years after this, but the issue was shelved and the "double dipping" -- receiving income from both donations and subsidies -- continues.

In spite of this, Ishiba insisted, "It isn't true there were moves to abolish corporate and organizational donations in exchange for the introduction of party subsidies." He additionally attempted to justify donations from private organizations by asking, "Is it right for political parties to rely excessively on public funds?"

Ishiba stated that it would be possible to ensure transparency through public disclosure of the donations in political funding reports. This, however, does nothing to alleviate concerns that policies could be distorted to suit financially powerful corporations and organizations.

Ishiba's backward-leaning stance toward reform does not end there.

He has failed to adequately address "policy activity funds" that are paid to individual politicians from their parties with no obligation to disclose how they are used. While an LDP proposal outlined the abolishment of these funds, it also allowed "expenditure that requires special consideration," such as funds for matters of diplomatic secrecy. This could effectively preserve an opaque funding framework.

In the current hung parliament, where no party has a majority in the lower house, the opposition parties are moving to band together on the issue of politics and money. Seven opposition parties including the CDP, Nippon Ishin (the Japan Innovation Party) and the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) have submitted a proposal calling for a total ban on political activity funds.

The moves of the DPFP are of particular interest. The party has been negotiating a "partial coalition" with the minority ruling coalition formed by the LDP and Komeito that would involve cooperation on a policy-by-policy basis. The party should take advantage of its position of holding the casting vote and leverage its influence to achieve a ban on corporate and group donations to political parties.

As demonstrated in the lower house election, an overhaul of the political funds law is the will of the people. Delays cannot be tolerated. During the current Diet session, the ruling and opposition parties must produce a conclusion that is acceptable to the public.