In a case in which a former ward assembly member of Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward was arrested for receiving bribes from a contractor in return for leaking bidding information for construction ordered by the ward, it was revealed that the provision of benefits from the contractor had been going on for at least seven years. Interviews with investigators revealed that this appears to be the case.
Four years ago, in 2020, Hidehiko Shimazaki (64), who was a member of the Chiyoda Ward assembly, received a request from a contractor to obtain bid information through a ward employee regarding a bid for renovation work at a ward elementary school and kindergarten. On the 9th, he was re-arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes through facilitation, after receiving a total of 330,000 yen worth of bribes in return for favors.
According to the investigation so far, it is suspected that the contractors who are said to have sent bribes formed a voluntary organization called the ``Chiyoda Ward Disaster Countermeasures Plumbing Construction Cooperation Association'' with more than a dozen companies, and asked a former lawmaker to bid on the construction work they wanted to win. I know.
According to people involved in the investigation, the provision of benefits from the Cooperation Association began at least seven years ago, in 2017, and appears to have continued until last year.
Specifically, in addition to providing food and drinks, golf entertainment, gift certificates, and receipts, he is believed to have paid for the interior work done on the former lawmaker's home.
In some cases, the request was made by a former lawmaker, and the Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the details of the incident, suspecting that there was a long-standing collusion.
The Metropolitan Police Department has not confirmed whether or not it was approved.