Inquest panel: 35 individuals should be indicted in vote-buying case involving ex-justice minister and his wife
February 3, 2022
HOME
> 2022 February 2 - 8
|
||
| Prev | Search | Next |
| Tweet |
2022 February 2 - 8 [POLITICS]
|
Akahata editorial (excerpts)
The Tokyo No.6 Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution on January 28 concluded that 35 of the 100 individuals who had been exempted from prosecution should be indicted over the massive vote-buying conduct involving former Justice Minister Kawai Katsuyuki and his wife Anri, and ruled that public prosecutors had unfairly made a "not to charge" decision for 46 of the 100 individuals implicated.
Following the inquest panel's conclusion, prosecutors will reinvestigate the case. The Public Offices Election Act criminalizes the giving of bribes and the acceptance of bribes.
Katsuyuki and his wife Anri, who was running for the 2019 Upper House election in the Hiroshima constituency, paid a total of 28.7 million yen in cash to 100 people, including local assemblymembers and municipal heads, in order to round up as many votes as possible for Anri.
Anri was thus elected to the Diet. However, the couple was arrested and indicted for vote buying, and they were found guilty. Anri lost her House of Councilors seat and Katsuyuki resigned from the House of Representatives. To date, they have not been compelled to explain to the public what really happened.
The prosecutors' office in July of last year dropped all charges against all the bribe-takers. The prosecutors' decision to pardon them was incomprehensible.
The inquest panel in its conclusion emphasized that the Public Offices Election Act is an important law protecting the constitutional principle of popular sovereignty, and that violations of this law should not be disregarded.
Where the vote-buying resources came from has still not been revealed. To the election campaign of Anri, the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters provided as much as 150 million yen in campaign funds, which was extravagant compared to other LDP candidates. Of the 150 million yen, 80% had come from government subsidies. The LDP denies any link between the funds it provided and the bribery scandal. However, there has been no evidence provided to support this claim.
Several bribe recipients testified that they had been told that the money was "from Prime Minister Abe" or "from LDP Secretary General Nikai".
Anri stood for election on the LDP ticket, reportedly, with the strong backing of PM Abe and Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga. They, during the election campaign, visited Hiroshima to give campaign speeches in support of Anri. Abe, Suga, and Nikai should explain to the public the whole picture behind the scandal.
Past related articles:
> JCP policy commission chair calls for end of gov’t subsidies to political parties as they are available even for vote-buying [June 19, 2021]
> Drawing curtain over vote-buying scandal following LDP lawmaker's resignation is impermissible [March 24, 2021]
> Guilty ruling finalized for vote-buying case of ex-LDP lawmaker Kawai Anri [February 4, 2021]
> PM Suga should not doge responsibility for vote-buying case involving ex-Justice Minister and his wife [January 25, 2021]
> JCP Koike: Dietmembers Kawai Katsuyuki and Anri should take responsibility for vote-buying scandal and resign [August 26, 2020]
> 2 sitting Dietmembers arrested for vote buying [June 19, 2020]
| Prev | Next |