Society

Arrested ex-justice minister admits cash handouts, denies vote buying

Jun 23 (Japan Today) - Arrested former Justice Minister Katsuyuki Kawai has admitted to handing out cash to local lawmakers and supporters but denied any intention to buy votes for his wife's election campaign last summer, sources familiar with the matter said Monday.

Kawai, 57, known for having had close ties with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and his lawmaker wife Anri, 46, were arrested last Thursday on suspicion of giving 25.7 million yen in cash to 94 local politicians and supporters to reward them for their efforts to secure votes for her in the House of Councillors election last July.

The sources also said lists used to record about 100 cash payment recipients are believed to have been made by Shinsuke Takaya, 44, a former close aide of Katsuyuki Kawai. Takaya is currently on trial for bribing election campaigners.

The lists were confiscated by Hiroshima prosecutors from the couple's home in January. Of the 94 people who allegedly received cash, around 40 were Hiroshima prefectural assembly members and other local politicians, according to the sources.

The prosecutors have found Katsuyuki Kawai led the election campaign on behalf of his wife and decided recipients of cash handouts, according to the sources. The Kawais have denied the allegations.

Takaya primarily worked at Katsuyuki Kawai's office in Tokyo as a state-paid secretary, but quit after being indicted in March for paying on 14 occasions a total of around 2.04 million yen to 14 campaign staff of Anri Kawai between July 19 and 23 last year, exceeding the daily legal cap of 15,000 yen per person.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

A fire that broke out in Kagamino, Okayama Prefecture, shortly after noon on May 20th destroyed three buildings, including a home, after flames from open burning spread to dead leaves and then to nearby structures.

Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

Six people, including a senior member of a group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate's Kohei-ikka faction, have been arrested on suspicion of opening a gang office in a prohibited area near a nursery school in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.

Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

A man who visited a police station in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the early hours of May 21st allegedly sprayed a transparent liquid inside the building, causing six police officers to complain of eye and throat pain and be taken to hospital with minor injuries.