2023-11-06 11:42:43
Regarding the April mayoral election in which Mayor Yayoi Kimura (58) of Koto Ward, Tokyo, was elected for the first time, the locally elected Liberal Democratic Party member of the House of Representatives, Mito Kakizawa (52), is distributing cash to ward assembly members. Through interviews with people involved, it was revealed that there is a suspicion that a list containing the following information was created. If Mr. Kakizawa’s side had provided cash for the purpose of requesting Mr. Kimura to collect votes, he might be charged with violating the Public Elections Act (bribery). The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office’s special investigation department also appears to be aware of the existence of the list, and is conducting voluntary interviews with ward assembly members to investigate the purpose of the cash and whether Mr. Kakizawa was involved. (Mashinori Inoue, Gaku Nakasangaku)
◆The name of the ward councilor from Kazuki Yamazaki’s camp
According to sources, the list was created within the Kakizawa office and mainly includes members of the Koto Shinjidai no Kai, the second group of the ward assembly, which supported Kimura in the ward mayor’s election. The list also included the names of Liberal Democratic Party members who supported Kazuki Yamazaki (50), the eldest son of the former ward mayor, who ran once morest Mr. Kimura in the election.
Several ward councilors belonging to the Koto Shinjidai-kai whose names were on the list admitted to receiving cash from Mr. Kakizawa in interviews with this newspaper, but they also held their own ward council elections on the same day as the ward mayor’s election. He explained that it was a “visit during the camp”.
◆10,000 yen handed to you saying “Please do your best”
Among them, ward councilor Masahiro Tokunaga (62) explained that he received 10,000 yen from Mr. Kakizawa when he opened his office. “Mr. Kakizawa told me, “Please do your best.” There was no request for support for Mr. Kimura’s election as ward mayor.I supported Mr. Kimura on my own in the ward mayor’s election because I thought it was better from a policy standpoint.” . Ward councilor Tatsuya Kito (70) acknowledged that he received 10,000 yen, but said he disposed of it properly.
This newspaper asked Kakizawa’s office for comment, but did not receive a response by 6pm on the 6th.
Mr. Kimura was criminally charged with violating the Public Elections Act for his campaign’s posting of paid internet advertisements calling for votes during the election period, and the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office’s Special Investigation Department searched Mr. Kimura’s home and other premises on October 24. On the 31st, Mr. Kakizawa admitted that he had proposed paid to Mr. Kimura and resigned as Deputy Minister of Justice.
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◆There was also testimony that the call from the secretary “thought it was money”…Special Investigation Department interviews local ward councilors and others
Just before the election for ward mayor, which was fiercely divided between conservatives, he received a phone call from Mr. Kakizawa’s secretary. He said, “There was something I was entrusted with from Kakizawa,” and I thought it was gold.” In an interview with this newspaper, a Liberal Democratic Party councilor who supported former Tokyo Metropolitan Councilor Yamazaki, who competed once morest Ward Mayor Kimura in the election, revealed how he received an offer of cash from Mr. Kakizawa’s side. When the ward councilor asked him if he wanted to visit the camp, the secretary said, “Yes,” and he declined the meeting.
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Department is currently conducting interviews with local ward assembly members regarding a violation of the Public Elections Act regarding the Koto ward mayoral election.
A post on X (formerly Twitter) by Mimi Kakizawa stating that she met Koto Ward Mayor Yayoi Kimura, who was attending the office for the first time, in the mayor’s office and congratulated her on her appointment.
Ward councilor Makoto Nishigaki (51), who supported Mr. Kimura despite being a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, tweeted on X (formerly Twitter), “Dear media, we are cooperating with the investigation by the Special Investigation Department, so we cannot respond.” The campaign expense income and expenditure report states that in February of this year, he received a donation of 200,000 yen from Mr. Kakizawa’s fund management organization.
“(Kimura) Kakizawa gave it to me in hopes of supporting Yayoi.” Kimura camp officials who were interviewed by the Special Investigation Department said they were asked the same question many times by prosecutors. In an interview with this newspaper, he complained, “I really haven’t received any money.” Requests for interviews by the Special Investigation Department are continuing.
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