Akimoto Arrested For Alleged Witness Tampering
Public prosecutors in Tokyo have arrested a lawmaker on suspicion of seeking false testimony in a court trial. Lower House member Akimoto Tsukasa has already been indicted in a bribery case related to a government-led casino resort project.
The prosecutors arrested Akimoto on Thursday.
Akimoto had been on bail pending trial on a charge of accepting bribes from a Chinese firm that aimed to take part in an integrated resort project in Japan that includes casinos.
Prosecutors now suspect that Akimoto offered cash to a former advisor to the Chinese firm in an attempt to persuade him to falsely testify in court.
The prosecutors arrested three people, including Akimoto's supporter Awaji Akihito, earlier this month on suspicion of having asked the former advisor to give false testimony.
The investigators say Awaji told them that he did this at Akimoto's request. The lawmaker has reportedly met Awaji several times since he was released on bail in February.
Akimoto talked to an NHK reporter shortly before his arrest. Akimoto admitted that he had met Awaji but he had not given him any instructions. Akimoto told NHK that he only told Awaji about his plan to contest all the charges against him in court. Akimoto added that he knew nothing about the alleged witness tampering.
