2 4 9 ▁and ▁lost ▁its ▁absolute ▁majority ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁election ▁on ▁December ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁Rec ruit ▁Sc andal ▁The ▁sc andal ▁was ▁revealed ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁during ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Nob oru ▁T akes h ita ’ s ▁premi ership . ▁The ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Rec ruit ▁Company ▁granted ▁a ▁special ▁favor ▁to ▁polit icians , ▁local ▁officials , ▁and ▁journal ists ▁by ▁allowing ▁them ▁to ▁buy ▁stock ▁of ▁the ▁Rec ruit ▁Cos mos ▁Company ▁before ▁it ▁was ▁listed . ▁When ▁listed ▁as ▁an ▁over - the - counter ▁issue , ▁its ▁value ▁increased ▁enorm ously , ▁and ▁those ▁who ▁had ▁bought ▁it ▁made ▁gig antic ▁prof its . ▁ ▁Since ▁almost ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁T akes h ita ▁cabinet ▁including ▁the ▁prime ▁minister , ▁fin ance ▁minister , ▁and ▁L DP ▁secretary ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁sc andal , ▁the ▁party ▁could ▁not ▁find ▁an ▁appropriate ▁prime ▁minister ▁as ▁a ▁replacement . ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁T akes h ita ▁res igned . ▁ ▁The ▁Rec ruit ▁sc andal ▁was ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁collapse ▁of ▁the ▁L DP ' s ▁stable ▁one - party ▁rule ▁in ▁Japan . ▁ ▁Political ▁fund ing ▁ ▁Political ▁fund ing ▁was ▁yet ▁another ▁controvers ial ▁issue ▁surrounding ▁the ▁elect oral ▁reform . ▁To ▁serve ▁their ▁constitu encies ▁well , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁major ▁tasks ▁of ▁L