Details Emerge In Lawmaker Witness - Tampering Case
More details have surfaced about the investigation into Lower House member Akimoto Tsukasa who was arrested on Thursday while out on bail in a bribery case involving a casino project.
Akimoto Tsukasa was released on bail in February after being indicted for receiving bribes from a Chinese firm that had tried to take part in the casino project, backed by the Japanese government. He had been on bail pending his trial.
Tokyo prosecutors arrested him this time on suspicion of attempting to offer cash to a former adviser to the firm in return for false testimony in court.
Three other people were arrested earlier this month on suspicion of having attempted to persuade witnesses to falsely testify in court.
One of the three, Miyatake Kazuhiro, is alleged to have attempted to offer cash to another former advisor to the Chinese firm.
Investigative source say that when Miyatake met the former advisor for this purpose in June, an acquaintance of the lawmaker was also present. This acquaintance runs a business consultancy.
Miyatake reportedly told investigators that this man had provided dozens of thousands of dollars in cash that Miyatake had attempted to offer the former advisor.
When NHK contacted Akimoto before his arrest, he denied any involvement in the alleged witness-tampering.
