Lawmaker Anri Kawai resigns over 2019 vote-buying scandal

Feb 04, 2021 | News On Japan

Feb 04, 2021 (Japan Today) - Upper house member Anri Kawai, who was found guilty last month of vote buying in the 2019 election, submitted Wednesday her resignation as a lawmaker, dealing a further blow to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's administration already suffering from falling approval ratings.

Kawai, who left the ruling Liberal Democratic Party due to the allegation, has chosen to quit before the two-week period allowed to file an appeal in her case ends Thursday. She would have been removed as a lawmaker automatically if and when the court ruling is finalized.

Following the submission to parliament of her resignation, the 47-year-old Kawai said in a statement she will not appeal the ruling, adding, "It is not my real intention to further prolong the legal battle and cause confusion," although she is not satisfied with the court's decision.

Her resignation addressed to House of Councillors President Akiko Santo is expected to be approved during an upper house plenary session later in the day.

Her husband Katsuyuki Kawai, a 57-year-old former justice minister and a lower house member, is also standing trial over the vote-buying scandal.

On Jan 21, the Tokyo District Court sentenced Anri Kawai to 16 months in prison, suspended for five years, for conspiring with her husband, who also left the LDP, to violate the election law by handing out 1.6 million yen in total to four Hiroshima prefectural assembly members between March and May in 2019.

She denied all charges against her.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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