Japanese prosecutors have demanded a four-year prison term for former justice minister Kawai Katsuyuki for what they called an unprecedented act of vote-buying by a Diet member.
Kawai is accused of bribing local politicians in Hiroshima Prefecture to help his wife, Kawai Anri, win a seat in the 2019 Upper House election.
In a court session on Friday, prosecutors demanded that Kawai Katsuyuki serve four years in prison and forfeit 1.5 million yen, or about 13,700 dollars.
Prosecutors said Kawai effectively managed his wife s election campaign, as he was aware of her campaign staff s activities and gave them instructions.
They also said Kawai and his wife acted in conspiracy to commit a crime by closely sharing information.
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18 months in prison demanded for lawmaker Tokyo prosecutors have demanded 18 months in prison for lawmaker Kawai Anri on charges of buying votes to win a seat in an Upper House election last year.
The defendant and her husband Kawai Katsuyuki, a former justice minister and Lower House member, were indicted for bribery. The couple pled not guilty.
In her trial on Tuesday, prosecutors stressed that the crime was unprecedentedly malicious as the two were in a position to restrain themselves as a candidate and an incumbent Lower House member.
The prosecutors said Kawai Anri committed the crime because she expected a tough election after failing to win support from the Hiroshima prefectural chapter of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. They described her motive as extremely selfish.