Japan's ex-state justice minister leaves governing Liberal Democratic Party

Dec 14, 2023 | News On Japan

TOKYO - A former Japanese state justice minister has left the governing Liberal Democratic Party after prosecutors raided his home and office over suspected vote-buying in a mayoral election in Tokyo's Koto Ward in April.

Kakizawa Mito's notice of departure was accepted by the party on Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday, prosecutors searched Kakizawa's office in the Diet Members' Building in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, as well as his home.

This followed last month's search of Kakizawa's office in Koto Ward, as well as the homes of his secretaries and assembly members, over a suspected violation of the Public Offices Election Law.

In Koto Ward's mayoral election held in April, Kakizawa supported candidate Kimura Yayoi who went on to win.

Prosecutors are looking into funds that Kakizawa's office offered to some of Koto Ward's assembly members ahead of the mayoral election.

Kakizawa has said the payments were his mid-campaign contributions for the assembly election -- which was held at the same time as the mayoral election -- and he had no intention of buying votes.

Kakizawa stepped down as state justice minister in late October to take responsibility for proposing the use of paid-online ads in Kimura's mayoral campaign. It was a violation of the Public Offices Election Law.

Kakizawa is a Lower House member elected from a district in Tokyo that covers Koto Ward. The 52-year-old has been elected 5 times and was appointed state justice minister in September.

Players to Watch When Japan Faces the Netherlands

Japan's World Cup campaign begins on June 14 when the Samurai Blue face the Netherlands at Dallas Stadium in Texas, a clash that will showcase some of the game's most talented players and pit two ambitious teams against one another in a crucial Group F opener. While Japan arrives without injured winger Kaoru Mitoma, one of its most recognizable stars, the squad still boasts a wealth of talent drawn from Europe's top leagues.

El Nino Returns, But Japan Faces Another Hot Summer

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) announced that an El Niño phenomenon is believed to have developed this spring, warning that Japan is likely to experience above-average temperatures nationwide this summer despite the climate pattern's traditional association with cooler summers.

Narita Airport Advances Compulsory Land Acquisition for Runway

Narita International Airport Corporation is expected to announce next month that it will apply to the national government for project certification as part of the process to enable compulsory land acquisition for the construction of a new runway at Narita Airport, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Fire Destroys Historic Arima Inari Shrine

A fire broke out at Arima Inari Shrine near the Arima Onsen hot spring resort area in Kobe on the night of June 9th, destroying multiple buildings and leaving an elderly Shinto priest and his wife with minor injuries.

Japan National Team Holds First Training Session in Nashville

Japan's national soccer team arrived in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 8th from Monterrey, Mexico, where it had been conducting a pre-World Cup training camp, and held its first practice session at its base camp for the FIFA World Cup in North America.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Fire Destroys Historic Arima Inari Shrine

Japan Cycling Association Head Arrested Over Alleged 30 Million Yen Fraud

Two men, including the head of the Japan Cycling Association, have been arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department on suspicion of defrauding two men in Kagoshima Prefecture out of 30 million yen by falsely promising a massive return on a purported patent-related investment.

Another Bear Feared Roaming Utsunomiya

A bear that had been repeatedly spotted in commercial and residential areas of Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, was captured in a residential neighborhood at around 3:30 p.m. on June 9th after authorities used a tranquilizer gun, but the city remains on alert because police say they cannot rule out the possibility that another bear may still be roaming the area.

Self-Proclaimed 'Messenger of God' Among Seven Arrested Over Teen's Confinement

Nara Prefectural Police have arrested seven people, including a 46-year-old Yokohama man who described himself as a "messenger of God," on suspicion of unlawfully confining a teenage boy entrusted to their care by his parents, allegedly threatening him, confiscating his belongings, and forcing him to sleep naked.

Knives Found in Eye and Abdomen of Dead Man in Kobe

A man believed to be in his 50s or 60s was found dead with knives lodged in his left eye and abdomen inside a container at a company property in Kobe's Suma Ward on June 8th, prompting police to investigate the possibility of a criminal case.

Missing American Student Found Dead After Week-Long Search in Kyoto

The family of James "Weston" Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University student who disappeared during a family vacation in Japan, announced on June 7th that he has been found dead after a volunteer search-and-rescue team located his body in a mountainous area outside Kyoto, bringing a week-long multinational search to a tragic end.

Unlicensed Peruvian Man Conducts Risky Medical Procedure During Delivery

A clinic director and a former Peruvian staff member have been referred to prosecutors after the man allegedly performed medical procedures without a license, including an external cephalic version—a procedure used to manually turn a baby into the correct position before birth—at an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Fukuoka City, raising concerns about patient safety and oversight in maternity care.

Video Shows Old Lady Chasing 14-Year-Old Girl After Cash Grab

A 14-year-old junior high school girl was arrested on suspicion of robbery resulting in injury after allegedly spraying a woman in her 60s in the face and stealing her wallet during a robbery attempt in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture.

< 2 3 4 5 >