A former Japanese justice minister and his lawmaker wife were arrested on Thursday on suspicion of vote-buying, public broadcaster NHK reported, in a harsh blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he struggles with falling voter support.
Voter support for Abe, who had close ties to the ex-justice minister, has declined over what critics say is his clumsy handling of the coronavirus outbreak, a furore over efforts to extend top prosecutors' retirement age, and questions about government programmes to support tourism and smaller companies.
Media have said prosecutors suspect former justice minister Katsuyuki Kawai and his wife, upper house lawmaker Anri Kawai, of offering millions of yen in cash to about 100 people prior to the 2019 upper house election, in which Anri Kawai won a seat.
Katsuyuki Kawai, who previously served as a foreign policy adviser to Abe, quit as minister last October after reports of election irregularities by his wife.
"I have never engaged in political activities that are shameful in the light of my conscience, nor against the law," Kyodo news agency quoted Katsuyuki Kawai as saying on Wednesday.
Anri has also denied vote-buying, media reports said. On Wednesday she told reporters her lawyer had advised her not to comment. Neither could be reached immediately for comment on Thursday.
Lawmakers cannot be arrested while parliament is in session. Parliament's session ended on Wednesday.
Abe returned to office in December 2012 and last November became Japan's longest serving prime minister. His term as ruling Liberal Democratic Party leader and hence, premier, ends in September 2021 but speculation is simmering that he may have to step down sooner given his sagging voter support, which fell below 30% in two opinion polls last month.
"Abe's responsibility for appointing Kawai as justice minister will be called into question," said Tomoaki Iwai, a political science professor at Nihon University. "His ratings could fall further."
Political sources and experts said Abe would be weakened but was unlikely to step down immediately as Japan contends with the coronavirus outbreak.
"The damage will be quite big," said University of Tokyo political science professor Yu Uchiyama. "He will be a lame duck."
Abe is struggling to ease the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the world's third-largest economy.
He has responded with two stimulus packages totalling $2.2 trillion - including payouts to citizens and ailing firms - but over half of the respondents to a Reuters survey were critical of the response.
Reuters
Thu Jun 18 2020
Institusi pendidikan bawah KPM perlu patuhi garis panduan anjur aktiviti luar
Kementerian Pendidikan (KPM) meminta semua institusi pendidikan di bawah kementerian itu untuk sentiasa mematuhi garis panduan penganjuran aktiviti luar bilik darjah.
Kerajaan Madani komited tambah baik infrastruktur di Sabah - PM
Kerajaan Madani akan menoktahkan kesengsaraan yang dialami rakyat terutama di Sabah khususnya dari segi kemiskinan sosioekonomi.
Fokus Minggu Depan: Perang Iran-Israel: Perkembangan seterusnya?
Ikuti kupasan Pengarah Institut Kecemerlangan Pengajian Baitulmaqdis (IEIJS), UUM, Prof. Madya Dr. Aminurraasyid Yatiban mengenai perkembangan perang Israel-Iran yang ketika ini menggegarkan Asia Barat.
Data sekolah di Singapura diceroboh
Kementerian Pendidikan semalam mengesahkan berlaku pelanggaran data di salah satu vendornya mengakibatkan 'akses tidak dibenarkan' bagi nama dan alamat e-mel ibu bapa dan kakitangan lima sekolah rendah dan 122 sekolah menengah.
87 maut, 82 cedera akibat hujan lebat berterusan di Pakistan
Sekurang-kurangnya 87 orang maut dan 82 yang lain cedera dalam insiden dicetuskan hujan di Pakistan sejak minggu lalu ketika hujan lebat terus melanda beberapa bahagian negara itu, kata Pihak Berkuasa Pengurusan Bencana Kebangsaan (NDMA), semalam.
Pertempuran sengit paksa 200 orang lari ke Thailand
Pertempuran bertambah sengit di sempadan timur Myanmar dengan Thailand hari ini, memaksa kira-kira 200 orang awam melarikan diri ketika pemberontak mengusir tentera junta yang bersembunyi di lintasan sempadan jambatan.
Liga Hoki Selangor TNB-QNET kembali dipertandingkan tahun ini
Selepas lima tahun menyepi, Liga Hoki Selangor TNB-QNET (SHL) akan kembali dianjurkan bermula hari ini hingga 2 Jun depan dalam usaha mencungkil bakat baru sukan hoki di tanah air.
Bio-Home lancar stesen pengisian semula eco, yang pertama seumpamanya
Jenama pembersihan rumah mesra alam dari Lam Soon, Bio-Home, melancarkan stesen pengisian semula eco pertama, menandakan langkah penting komitmen dalam menangani isu sisa plastik.
Anwar beri penghormatan terakhir kepada mendiang Joseph Kurup
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hari ini memberi penghormatan terakhir kepada mendiang Tan Sri Joseph Kurup di Wisma Fook Lu Siew di Kota Kinabalu.
PM Anwar beri penghormatan terakhir kepada mendiang Joseph Kurup
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim hari ini memberi penghormatan terakhir kepada mendiang Tan Sri Joseph Kurup di Wisma Fook Lu Siew.