Japan ruling lawmaker’s office searched over mayor race scandal

Prosecutors on Thursday searched the constituency office of ruling party lawmaker Mito Kakizawa and other locations amid allegations that the recently resigned senior vice justice minister paid money to local assembly members in return for supporting a candidate he backed in a Tokyo ward mayoral election.

Several assembly members of Koto Ward have already been questioned on a voluntary basis about the suspected payments by House of Representatives member Kakizawa that may constitute vote buying, investigative sources said.

Staff from the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office enter the office of House of Representatives member Mito Kakizawa in Tokyo’s Koto Ward on Nov. 16, 2023. (Kyodo)

Mito Kakizawa. (Kyodo)

The 52-year-old Kakizawa, who belongs to the Liberal Democratic Party, resigned as senior vice justice minister late last month, having proposed to former Koto Mayor Yayoi Kimura that she use an online advertisement during her campaign, an alleged violation of the election law.

Locations that were searched by prosecutors included Kakizawa’s office in Koto Ward, his electoral district, and the home of his secretary.

Kimura previously served as a lower house lawmaker of the LDP, currently headed by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. In the mayoral race in late April, Kakizawa, the son of a former foreign minister, is said to have supported Kimura.

On Wednesday, Kimura stepped down for her usage of the paid advertisement, which urged people to vote for her on YouTube. Her office said she paid some 140,000 yen ($925) with her credit card for the advertisement.

Japan’s public offices election law prohibits the posting of paid advertisements online for specific candidates, rather than political parties.

Kakizawa has said that he provided several assembly members with money, justifying the action by saying it was intended to encourage them ahead of their own elections, also conducted in April, sources close to the matter said.

Kakizawa could be accused of violating the election law if it is believed he gave them money to secure votes for Kimura.

The latest alleged election law violation has come under scrutiny as former Justice Minister Katsuyuki Kawai was arrested for having bought votes for his wife Anri for the House of Councillors election in 2019. They were convicted of vote buying in 2021.

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