Former Justice Minister Sentenced To Imprisonment
A Japanese district court has sentenced a former justice minister and Diet member to three years in prison for vote-buying in relation to his wife's election to the Upper House two years ago.
The Tokyo District Court sentenced Kawai Katsuyuki on Friday.
Kawai was accused of distributing a total of over 260,000 dollars to 100 local politicians and supporters in Hiroshima Prefecture from March through August 2019. His wife, Kawai Anri, won an Upper House seat in an election in July that year.
At issue in the trial, of which 56 sessions have been held since last August, was whether the defendant intended to buy votes.
Kawai initially pleaded not guilty, but admitted to most of charges at a hearing in March. His defense team called for a suspended sentence.
Prosecutors said he committed the "unprecedented" act of vote-buying by a Diet member, and demanded four years in prison without suspension.
Kawai has already resigned as a Diet member and withdrawn from politics.
If the sentence is finalized, he will have his civil rights suspended and be barred from running for election for a period until his term expires, plus the following five years.
Kawai Anri has also been found guilty, and resigned as an Upper House member.