Former Justice Minister And Wife's Aides Arrested
Three aides to former Justice Minister Katsuyuki Kawai and his lawmaker wife Anri Kawai, have been arrested on suspicion of violating the election law.
Hiroshima district prosecutors arrested Shinsuke Takaya, a policy secretary to Katsuyuki Kawai, on Tuesday. They also arrested Hiroshi Tatemichi, a second secretary to Upper House member Anri Kawai, and Yugo Waki, a senior official of her campaign team.
Prosecutors suspect the aides paid Anri Kawai's campaign staff more than the legal limit during her campaign for the Upper House last year.
The daily allowance payment limit is 15,000 yen, but Kawai's camp is suspected of paying 30,000 yen, about 280 dollars.
Prosecutors searched the couple's office in their constituency and their home. They have also questioned the three suspects and the campaign staff.
Sources say Tatemichi admitted to investigators about the alleged illegal payment before his arrest.
Prosecutors are looking into whether anyone else was involved.
Former Justice Minister Kawai told reporters in October that neither he nor his wife were involved in the reported allegations, but that they would look into the accusations and fulfill their responsibility to explain themselves.
He said he will refrain from commenting further, while a criminal investigation is underway.
