A two-day political ethics meeting is set to convene on Thursday over a fundraising scandal that has rocked Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio will be in attendance.

Kishida said, "As president of the Liberal Democratic Party, I will attend the council to fulfil my duty toward accountability, in full view of the media."

Besides Kishida, five lawmakers who were senior members of major LDP factions will address the Lower House council. Two of them resigned as Cabinet ministers over the scandal.

They will be asked about the allegation that they, and dozens of other LDP lawmakers, failed to properly declare fundraiser revenue and received kickbacks.

Most belonged to the faction formerly led by the late Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.

Each hearing is set to last 80 minutes. Unlike testimony under oath, the remarks will not be subject to perjury. It will be the first time a sitting prime minister will appear before the council.

The Diet affairs chief of the largest opposition party said he was surprised Kishida chose to attend.

The Constitutional Democratic Party's Azumi Jun said, "The prime minister may have wanted to use the ethics council to set an example, as the five lawmakers were reluctant to attend."

The ruling and opposition blocs were at odds on whether to hold the session behind closed doors, but Kishida offered to open it to the media.