The Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating the case on suspicion of violating the Public Offices Election Act, and interviews with people involved have revealed that before the mayoral election in Tokyo's Koto Ward in April, Kakizawa Mito, a member of the House of Representatives based in this area, was trying to give at least a dozen ward councilors different amounts of cash depending on the party. Kakizawa said, "It was a visit to the camp of the ward assembly election held at the same time, and it did not constitute a bribe in the ward mayor election."
Kakizawa, a member of the House of Representatives of the Liberal Democratic Party, resigned as Deputy Minister of Justice on March 4, saying that he wanted to "take responsibility for encouraging the use of paid advertisements" over the investigation of Yayoi Kimura, the mayor of his hometown of Koto Ward, who is being investigated by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office for issuing illegal paid advertisements in the mayoral election in April.
In the ward mayor election, which became a composition of conservative divisions, it was revealed that the people related to Councilor Kakizawa, who is said to have supported Mayor Kimura, had given cash to some ward councilors before the election, but the Kakizawa councilor side was trying to give different amounts depending on the party.
At least a dozen people were targeted, and some of them refused to accept it.
In response to an interview with NHK, Kakizawa's side and several ward councilors denied illegality, saying, "It was a visit to the ward assembly election held at the same time, and it did not constitute bribery in the ward mayor election."
The Special Investigation Department is voluntarily listening to the circumstances from several ward councils and is expected to investigate the purpose of the cash handed over.