Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi faces persistent parliamentary pressure over a scandal first reported by Shukan Bunshun magazine over a month ago. The report alleged that one of her secretaries met with an individual involved in an online smear campaign targeting rival candidates. This campaign reportedly used hundreds of AI-generated videos distributed from burner accounts on social media, aimed at influencing last year’s Liberal Democratic Party presidential election and this year’s Lower House election. Opposition lawmakers have repeatedly questioned Takaichi on the matter this week, demanding accountability.