December 29, 2023
Tokyo prosecutors on December 28 arrested former State Minister of Justice and sitting member of the House of Representatives Kakizawa Mito (a former Liberal Democratic Party member) on suspicion of buying votes for a mayoral election in Tokyo’s Koto Ward. His four secretaries were also arrested.
The arrest of a sitting Dietmember over vote-buying allegations is proceeded by the arrest of former Justice Minister Kawai Katsuyuki and his wife Kawai Anri in 2019.
Japanese Communist Party Secretariate Head Koike Akira at a press conference in the Diet building on the same day said, “Vote-buying is the most impermissible allegation for politicians, and demanded that Kakizawa resign from his Diet seat.
Koike said, “A Dietmember who belonged to the LDP was arrested. The LDP should be held responsible to call on him to leave the Diet.”
Kakizawa was elected from Tokyo’s No. 15 constituency Koto Ward. In this district, former Lower House member Akimoto Tsukasa (ex-LDP member) was found guilty of accepting casino-related bribes and former Koto Ward Assembly President Enomoto Yuichi (ex-LDP member) was also found guilty of accepting bribes in an influence peddling scheme.
Regarding a series of bribery scandals involving former LDP members in the ward, Koike said, “The LDP should be accountable to the Koto residents.”
Past related articles:
> State Minister of Justice resigns for his involvement in election campaign misconduct [November 1, 2023]
> 2 sitting Dietmembers arrested for vote buying [June 19, 2020]
The arrest of a sitting Dietmember over vote-buying allegations is proceeded by the arrest of former Justice Minister Kawai Katsuyuki and his wife Kawai Anri in 2019.
Japanese Communist Party Secretariate Head Koike Akira at a press conference in the Diet building on the same day said, “Vote-buying is the most impermissible allegation for politicians, and demanded that Kakizawa resign from his Diet seat.
Koike said, “A Dietmember who belonged to the LDP was arrested. The LDP should be held responsible to call on him to leave the Diet.”
Kakizawa was elected from Tokyo’s No. 15 constituency Koto Ward. In this district, former Lower House member Akimoto Tsukasa (ex-LDP member) was found guilty of accepting casino-related bribes and former Koto Ward Assembly President Enomoto Yuichi (ex-LDP member) was also found guilty of accepting bribes in an influence peddling scheme.
Regarding a series of bribery scandals involving former LDP members in the ward, Koike said, “The LDP should be accountable to the Koto residents.”
Past related articles:
> State Minister of Justice resigns for his involvement in election campaign misconduct [November 1, 2023]
> 2 sitting Dietmembers arrested for vote buying [June 19, 2020]
