Committee members of Japan's Lower House have agreed on a vote of a revised draft of a bill aimed at helping people who have suffered damage from the actions of the former Unification Church.

The vote is scheduled for Thursday. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is to attend the session ahead of the voting.

Official campaigning has kicked off for a second referendum in Osaka City on whether to reorganize the city into wards similar to those in Tokyo.

What is known as the "Osaka metropolis plan" calls for abolishing the city and creating four special wards. Those who proposed the plan say it will eliminate administrative redundancy between the city and Osaka Prefecture.

Official campaigning for a second referendum on whether to restructure Japan's western city of Osaka will begin on Monday.

The proposal involves reshaping the city into four wards, similar to Tokyo's 23-ward system. The city has more than 2.2 million eligible voters.

Members of Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party are deciding who will lead them - and the country.

The party members are casting their ballots at a Tokyo hotel. The party president chosen will almost certainly win a vote in the Diet to make him the next Prime Minister. He will take over from Abe Shinzo, who is stepping down because of health issues.

Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party is gearing up for an election to pick a new leader following Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's announcement on Friday that he will step down due to health reasons.

The LDP is expected to officially decide at a General Council meeting next Tuesday on when and how it will hold the vote for party leader.

Former Justice Minister Kawai Katsuyuki and his lawmaker wife, Kawai Anri, denied charges of vote buying in the opening of their trial at Tokyo District Court on Tuesday.

Prosecutors alleged that Kawai Katsuyuki distributed about 270,000 dollars in cash to 100 local politicians and senior members of support groups to secure votes for his wife. She won a seat in the Upper House election in July last year.

Tokyo prosecutors have indicted former Justice Minister Kawai Katsuyuki and his lawmaker wife Kawai Anri on charges of buying votes for an election.

Prosecutors say Kawai Katsuyuki handed out a total of around 270,000 dollars to about 100 people, mainly local politicians and supporters. They say he tried to secure votes for his wife's successful bid for the Upper House last July.

Japan's former Justice Minister Kawai Katsuyuki and his wife Kawai 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 arrested the couple on Thursday and searched their offices.

US residents of Japan voted in a Democratic Party presidential primary on Sunday that is being held in 44 countries and territories.

Ballot stations were set up in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. Many people came to the polling station in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward when it opened at noon.