Mito Kakizawa, a former state minister of justice, was sentenced to a suspended prison term of two years for violating the Public Offices Election Law. The charges stemmed from vote-buying and illegal campaign activities during a mayoral election in Tokyo's Koto Ward.
The Tokyo District Court found that Kakizawa, then a Lower House member, provided or offered a total of 2.8 million yen to individuals, including ward assembly members and campaign staff, to support the mayoral candidate, Yayoi Kimura. Additionally, Kakizawa was linked to paid online ads on YouTube worth around 370,000 yen that sought votes for Kimura. The use of such ads for campaigning is prohibited under the law.
Kakizawa initially denied the charges but later admitted to the allegations after his arrest in December. At the first hearing of his trial, he expressed remorse for his actions. However, he exercised his right to remain silent during questioning and did not provide details. In his final statement, Kakizawa acknowledged that his political career had been ruined by the case.
The ruling is the first in a series of indictments involving nine individuals, including Kakizawa's secretaries, Kimura, and ward assembly members. Seven of the suspects are currently on trial, with Kimura's first hearing scheduled for March 18.