Japan's Lawmaker Couple Arrested
Former Justice Minister Kawai Katsuyuki and his wife Anri have been arrested by prosecutors over an alleged violation of the election law. Both are lawmakers, formerly with the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Prosecutors say Katsuyuki used 220,000 dollars of campaign funds in cash handouts to local politicians and other individuals to secure votes for his wife.
Anri ran in the Upper House election in July last year and won her seat.
She also allegedly handed out about 10,000 dollars in cash on her own.
After the election, the husband was appointed Justice Minister but was forced to resign when the scandal broke in a tabloid magazine last October.
Both appeared at the Diet on Wednesday.
Katsuyuki reiterated that he did not engage in any kind of shady political activities nor did he do anything illegal.
His wife refrained from commenting. She said, "I've been told by my lawyer not to say anything. I'm sorry."
The arrests come as the Hiroshima District Court handed down a suspended prison sentence of 18 months to Anri's secretary on Tuesday. He was charged with paying her campaign workers more than is legally allowed.
Prosecutors could file a lawsuit seeking to nullify her election win based on a guilt-by-association provision.
The Kawais on Wednesday submitted their notices of departure from the Liberal Democratic Party. But sources say that along with denying doing anything illegal, they also have no intention of resigning their Diet seats.
