The money scandal involving factions within Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party has widened. Sources say the faction led by senior lawmaker Nikai Toshihiro prepared lists describing fundraiser ticket sales quotas for members and amounts of kickbacks allegedly paid to their offices.

Tokyo prosecutors have searched offices of the Abe and Nikai factions over the scandal. The factions are suspected of paying kickbacks to offices of member lawmakers who sold tickets in excess of their quota. It's suspected the factions did not record those amounts as revenue in their political fund reports -- a possible violation of the political funds control law.

Recently it was discovered that the LDP's largest faction, once led by late Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, drew up similar lists. About 3.5 million dollars is believed to have gone unreported by the Abe faction over five years. The Nikai faction allegedly failed to report about 700,000 dollars.

Justice Minister Koizumi Ryuji left the Nikai faction on Wednesday.

He said the Justice Ministry's role is to carry out administrative operations fairly and impartially and he "decided to leave the faction so there would be no misunderstanding by the public."

The LDP's policy chief, Hagiuda Koichi, has submitted his resignation. He belongs to the Abe faction.

LDP President and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio plans to appoint former education minister Tokai Kisaburo as Hagiuda's successor.

LDP Diet affairs chief Takagi Tsuyoshi, another Abe faction member, is also stepping down.

Kishida plans to replace him with former Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu.

Opposition parties are increasing pressure on the LDP. The Diet affairs chiefs agreed to demand that the justice minister resign. They also decided to call for Diet committee sessions over the scandal.