LDP secretaries arrested for unreported funding

Secretaries to the Liberal Democratic Party Lower House member Sakai Tadanori were arrested on March 4 on suspicion of failing to report about 120 million yen in political donations.

Sakai's secretary Shionoya Aki and Nakayama Motomu, his former secretary, are believed to have violated the Political Funds Control Law by receiving secret funds from supporters from 1997 to 2001.

Shionoya was in charge of finances in the LDP member's office, and Nakayama was managing money in Sakai's electoral district in Saga Prefecture.

Sakai on March 3 resigned as the Lower House Health, Labor, and Welfare Committee chair. (end)