Takamori Yoshikawa, the former Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, who was accused of receiving a bribe from a former representative of a major egg production company in Hiroshima Prefecture while he was in office, will be sentenced by the Tokyo District Court on the 26th.
The former minister has pleaded not guilty to "taking it as a political contribution," and the focus is on whether the cash received is a bribe.
Former Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Takamori Yoshikawa (71) was a former representative of the major chicken egg production company "Akita Foods" in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, during the two years until the first year of Reiwa, when he was in office. He has been accused of bribery for receiving a total of 5 million yen in cash.
At the trial, former Minister Hajime Yoshikawa admitted that he had received the cash, but said he "accepted it as a political contribution," and pleaded not guilty to not bribe.
On the other hand, the prosecutor's office said, "It is clear that I received the cash given to the poultry farmer for convenience, even though I was aware of the bribe." increase.
The decision will be handed down at the Tokyo District Court at 10 am, and the focus will be on whether the cash is a bribe, how the court will determine the status of the delivery and the perception of the former minister at the time.
The biggest issue is whether or not the cash received was recognized as a bribe.
The biggest issue was whether Hajime Yoshikawa recognized the cash received as a bribe.
Former Minister Yoshikawa was charged 2 million yen at a hotel in Tokyo in November 2018, 2 million yen at the ministry's office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in March 2019, and 100 in August of the first year of Reiwa. It is said that he received a total of 5 million yen in cash from the former representative of "Akita Foods" as a bribe.
At the trial, the prosecution claimed that it was a bribe to help the poultry industry face challenges.
One of the challenges is to meet the international standard for livestock breeding environment called "animal welfare".
From the viewpoint of animal welfare, it is mandatory to install "birdhouses" and "perches", but industry groups oppose that "if introduced, it will be economically damaged", and the breeding method is based on this idea. I am trying to get the convenience of former Minister Yoshikawa so that it will not be obligatory.
Another issue is financing for poultry farmers. When the minister's office handed over 1 million yen, the former representative requested that small and medium-sized poultry farmers be helped.
He also claimed that the former minister was aware of bribes, saying, "The jargon is used to deliver cash and it is not mentioned in the income and expenditure report."
On the other hand, former Minister Yoshikawa admitted that he had received cash, and was not guilty of "taking it as a political donation" because he received donations from the former representative about twice a year. Insisted.
Regarding "animal welfare," the defendant asked, "Poultry farming was hardly an issue at the time of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. I was thinking. "
On the other hand, regarding the receipt of cash at the minister's office, he said, "I was still reluctant at that time, but I was kind enough to accept the kindness of the former representative." There was also a scene.
The reason for the discovery of suspicion
The suspicion over funding the former Minister of Justice Yoshikawa was discovered after an investigation into the election violation case of the former Minister of Justice Katsuyuki Kawai and his wife.
In July, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office searched the head office of Akita Foods, a major chicken egg production company in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, which had made a large donation to former Minister Kawai as a related party to the case of Mr. and Mrs. Kawai.
At that time, Mr. Yoshikawa Akita, the former representative of this company, got a memo and a list telling that he was providing cash to several members of the Diet such as former Minister Yoshikawa.
The former representative is a leading figure in the poultry industry group, and has served as a conduit to the political world and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for many years.
In December of this year, when allegations of cash provision were reported, the former minister resigned from all positions in the LDP and then resigned from the House of Representatives because of his health condition.
The Special Investigation Department voluntarily listened to the situation from the former minister, and on December 25, searched for the Senator Kaikan and the office of the local Sapporo city and embarked on a compulsory investigation. I was charged.
The first public explanation of the case by the former minister was at the first trial held in August last year.
The former minister insisted he was not guilty, saying, "I don't dispute that I received cash, but I took it as a political contribution."
He added, "I am deeply remorseful for the fact that I received the cash and did not mention it in the income and expenditure report."
The former representative of "Akita Foods", who was charged with bribery, admitted the indictment and was convicted of 1 year and 8 months in prison and 4 years of suspended sentence.