February 4, 2021

Former ruling Liberal Democratic Party member of the House of Councilors Kawai Anri on February 3 announced her decision to not appeal against a Tokyo District Court ruling that sentenced her to 16 months in prison with a five-year reprieve for vote-buying in the 2019 Upper House election. The district court ruling will become final as the prosecutor also expressed its intent to accept this ruling.

Furthermore, Kawai on the day resigned as Dietmember, which vacates an Upper House seat in the Hiroshima prefectural constituency. Accordingly, an Upper House by-election will be held in Hiroshima in April. However, Kawai will not be able to stand for the by-election because her civil rights will be suspended under the Public Offices Election Act for five years after the finalization of the Tokyo District Court ruling.

In reaction to Kawai’s resignation, Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Koike Akira at a press conference in the Diet building said, “Her resignation is not at all surprising. The LDP should be held accountable for Kawai’s vote-buying case. In particular, Prime Minister Suga and ex-PM Abe should bear grave responsibility as they repeatedly visited Hiroshima to increase voters’ support for her during the election campaign.”

Koike also said, “Kawai has never explained the vote-buying scandal before the general public. It is unacceptable for her to draw a curtain on the scandal with her resignation,” and stressed the need to summon to the Diet Kawai and other relevant persons involved in the scandal as sworn witnesses.

Past related article:
> PM Suga should not doge responsibility for vote-buying case involving ex-Justice Minister and his wife [January 25, 2021]