Three Japanese ministers tendered their resignations on Thursday over a major kickback scandal in the ruling party, media reports said.

Economy and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, Internal Affairs Minister Junji Suzuki and Agriculture Minister Ichiro Miyashita all did so Thursday morning, the reports said.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno was expected to follow suit later in the day along with a reported five deputy ministers.

Nishimura was quoted as telling reporters at the prime minister’s office: “The public’s doubts are around me over political funds, which is leading to distrust in the government. As an investigation is going on, I thought I wanted to set things right.”

The scandal surrounds allegations of kickbacks of 500 million yen ($3.4 million) within the Liberal Democratic Party, which has governed the world’s number-three economy almost uninterrupted for decades.