Ex-State Min.'s Office Raided over Tokyo Election Scandal

   Tokyo, Nov. 16 (Jiji Press)--Japanese public prosecutors raided ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Mito Kakizawa's local office and other locations Thursday over alleged election law violations related to a Tokyo mayoral election in April.
   Kakizawa resigned as state minister of justice in October to take the blame for advising former Koto Ward Mayor Yayoi Kimura's campaign team to run paid online advertisements calling for votes in the mayoral race in the Tokyo special ward. He also is suspected of giving cash to ward assembly members ahead of the election.
   The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office searched Kakizawa's office in the ward and the homes of his secretary and assembly members, suspecting that he violated the public offices election law. The secretary and others were questioned voluntarily as well.
   The prosecutors are investigating whether the cash was intended to buy votes through voluntary interviews with people close to Kakizawa and assembly members. They will also analyze documents seized in the raids to bring the whole truth to light.
   Kakizawa, a 52-year-old lawmaker of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament, represents Tokyo's No. 15 constituency in Koto Ward.

(2023/11/16-20:46)

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