Former Justice Minister Katsuyuki Kawai, 57, who was arrested on suspicion of violating the Public Offices Election Law, has admitted to prosecutors that he provided cash to local assembly members, according to sources close to the case.
However, Kawai denied the charges to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's special investigation squad, saying he did not intend to ask them to compile votes.
Kawai was arrested Thursday on suspicion of providing about 25.7 million yen to 94 people including local assembly members, between late March and early August last year. This was shortly after his wife, Anri Kawai, 46, a House of Councillors member, was chosen as a Liberal Democratic Party candidate in a Hiroshima constituency for the House of Councillors election. Of the sum Katsuyuki is accused of providing, Anri is suspected of conspiring to provide 1.7 million yen to five of them.
Kawai was quoted as telling police after his arrest that "There are some parts I don't remember," and admitted he gave cash to local assembly members and supporters, according to sources close to the case. However, he said he did not intend to buy votes from either of them.
"I didn't do anything wrong," he said.
Regarding the 1.7 million yen tied to Anri, Katsuyuki was quoted as saying, "I didn't know."
Most of the 94 people suspected of receiving cash from the couple underwent voluntary questioning by prosecutors. They basically admitted to receiving the cash, and were quoted as saying they thought giving the money meant the couple would want them to gather votes in the Anri's upper house election.
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