Tokyo prosecutors have searched the offices of former agriculture minister Yoshikawa Takamori over allegations that he received cash from a former corporate executive while in office.

The prosecutors on Friday searched locations including Yoshikawa's office in the Lower House office building and his local office in the city of Sapporo.

Major Japanese companies are streamlining their offices as they embrace working from home amid the pandemic. Some even see the change becoming a more permanent solution.

NHK has learned that Mitsubishi Chemical is planning to reduce its three head offices in Tokyo to a single site next April.

Prosecutors in Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan, have raided the offices of Upper House member Anri Kawai and her husband, Lower House member Katsuyuki Kawai, on suspicion of violating the election law.

Anri Kawai has been charged with paying her campaign staff above the legal limit during her successful run for the Upper House in July last year. Prosecutors have been questioning her staff since last month.

Prosecutors in Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan, have raided the offices of Upper House member Anri Kawai and her husband, Lower House member Katsuyuki Kawai, on suspicion of violating the election law.

Anri Kawai has been charged with paying her campaign staff above the legal limit during her successful run for the Upper House in July last year. Prosecutors have been questioning her staff since last month.