Tokyo’s District Court has approved bail for Tsukasa Akimoto, a Lower House lawmaker accused of accepting bribes in connection with the country’s integrated resort (IR) initiative.
Akimoto was a vocal supporter of IRs, pushed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as a way to boost tourism. IRs were authorized in December 2016. Akimoto served as a senior vice minister at the Cabinet Office charged with overseeing the initiative for about a year through October 2018, reported the Japan Times.
Bail was set at JPY30 million (US$273,000), which Akimoto paid the same day. Public prosecutors filed an appeal against the court decision, and Akimoto will not be released until the appeal is processed.
He has denied the charges and insists he will attend Diet meetings once he’s out. But he’s barred from contacting fellow lawmaker Takaki Shirasuka of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and former Lower House member Shigeaki Katsunuma, also suspected of being linked to 500.com, a Chinese betting firm that allegedly wanted to be part of the new IR industry.
Akimoto is suspected of demanding luxury items from the Chinese company during a trip to Macau, investigative sources said earlier.
Akimoto is alleged to have received ¥2 million from the Chinese firm and had expenses of around ¥1.55 million covered by the company for a 2017 trip to its Shenzhen headquarters, despite knowing such actions could be considered as seeking favorable treatment.
In addition, he allegedly received ¥3 million in cash from 500.com in September 2017 and allegedly had the firm cover about ¥760,000 in expenses linked to a family trip to Hokkaido in February 2018.
He left the LDP when he was first arrested late last December but remains a member of the Lower House.
Five other lawmakers say 500.com gave them ¥1 million each. Among them is former postal privatization minister Mikio Shimoji, who was expelled from opposition party Nippon Ishin no Kai after his alleged receipt of the money came to light.
Three others indicted in the case include Zheng Xi, 37, a former executive of 500.com‘s Japan unit, and Masahiko Konno, 48, and Katsunori Nakazato, 47, who were advisers.
All admitted to bribing Akimoto. Xi and Konno have been released on bail and Nakazato is awaiting release after having his bail approved.
Akimoto is the first lawmaker indicted in a decade. He was first elected to the House of Councilors in 2004 after serving as secretary to a lawmaker. He won his Lower House seat in 2012.
