Regarding the April mayoral election of Koto Ward in Tokyo, on the 28th, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office’s Special Investigation Department accused former Deputy Minister of Justice and House of Representatives member Miyuki Kakizawa of violating the Public Elections Act (such as bribery) by distributing cash to ward councilors. A total of five people were arrested, including the suspect (52), from Tokyo’s 15th ward, who has left the Liberal Democratic Party, and four secretaries.
◆Do you provide cash to at least 5 people?
Suspect Miyu Kakizawa, former Deputy Minister of Justice
Also arrested were policy secretary Masaki Ito (51), public first secretary Yuruki Shinji (64), private secretaries Shu Goto (38) and Naoki Morikawa (34). ) 4 suspects.
Kakizawa, who supported former ward mayor Yayoi Kimura (58) in the Koto ward mayoral election, is suspected of distributing cash to ward councilors through his secretaries. The Special Investigation Department determined that this constituted a “briberation” in which Mr. Kimura was asked to run an election campaign to get him elected.
Kakizawa was arrested on suspicion of providing approximately 2.6 million yen, including colluding with his secretary, to help Kimura win the election. It is also said that during the ward mayoral election period, a paid Internet advertisement about Mr. Kimura was posted on YouTube for approximately 380,000 yen.
According to interviews so far, the money has been provided to at least five people, three of whom received 200,000 yen each, and two others who received the money but returned it.
Regarding the cash offer, in a voluntary interview with the Special Investigation Department before his arrest, Kakizawa denied any intention of bribing him, saying that it was a “campaign visit” for the ward assembly election, which took place on the same day as the ward mayor’s election.
Former ward mayor Kimura was elected for the first time, defeating candidates recommended by the Liberal Democratic Party, but resigned on November 15 after it was discovered that he had placed paid online advertisements during the election period, which is prohibited under the Public Elections Act.
Kakizawa accepted the proposal for paid advertising to former ward mayor Kimura and resigned as vice minister of justice. On December 14th, his office and home in the Nagatacho Diet Building in Tokyo were raided by the Special Investigation Department, and he left the Liberal Democratic Party.
◆What is the crime of acquisition?
The crime of bribery under the Public Elections Act is established when a person offers to provide cash with the intention of requesting the collection of votes, and the statutory penalty is imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to 500,000 yen. The ban on paid online advertising was established in the revised Public Elections Act enacted in 2013, which lifted the ban on online election campaigns, and this appears to be the first time it has been applied.
2023-12-28 03:45:23
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