Summary Indictment Eyed for Japan LDP Hagiuda's Secretary

   Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo prosecutors are considering issuing a summary indictment of Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Koichi Hagiuda's policy secretary for violating the political funds control law over the LDP's slush fund scandal, sources said Sunday.
   The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office is considering such an action after a panel of citizens ruled that the secretary of Hagiuda, a member of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, should be prosecuted.
   A summary indictment requires the consent of the person. If no consent is obtained, the secretary is expected to be indicted without arrest.
   In a criminal complaint filed by a university professor, the secretary is accused of not including a total of 22.9 million yen in kickbacks from the now-defunct LDP faction linked to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in political funds reports for 2019 to 2022.
   In December last year, the prosecutors office decided not to indict the secretary. But in June this year, the prosecution inquest panel in Tokyo demanded the person's indictment, saying, "If we continue to let such cases escape prosecution, false entries in such reports will never disappear."

(2025/08/03-16:03)

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