TOKYO (Kyodo) — Prosecutors plan to file charges against Manabu Horii, a former ruling party lawmaker, on charges of distributing funeral funds to supporters of his constituency in violation of Japanese electoral law, sources familiar with the matter said Tuesday.
Prosecutors are also expected to open proceedings against Horii, a 52-year-old lower house lawmaker, in connection with a separate political funds scandal, they said. The former Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker has decided to submit his resignation as a lawmaker to House Speaker Fukushiro Nukaga as early as Wednesday, according to a person close to him.
Horii, an Olympic bronze medalist in speed skating, left the LDP in July after prosecutors searched his offices and homes on suspicion that he had violated the law on elections for public office, which allows lawmakers to pay condolence money to their supporters only if they attend a funeral in person.
He allegedly had his staff hand out condolence money on his behalf, ranging from 10,000 yen ($70) to tens of thousands of yen, to supporters in his constituency in Hokkaido, northern Japan. He is said to have agreed on the amounts in a group chat with his staff.
During a voluntary interview with Tokyo prosecutors, Horii said he had instructed his employees to transfer the money on his behalf, even though he knew such payments were illegal, according to people familiar with the matter.
Horii was also embroiled in a separate political funds scandal that has undermined voters’ confidence in the LDP led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
A criminal complaint has been filed against Horii, who is accused of failing to report 21.96 million yen that he received from the inner-party faction to which he belongs.
He said in June that he would not run in the next general election, which must be held by autumn 2025.
The LDP is currently conducting a race for the party leadership to replace Kishida, who has decided to step down as party chief at the end of his current three-year term in September.
Horii won bronze in the men’s 500-meter speed skating at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Games. He served as parliamentary deputy foreign minister and senior deputy minister in the Cabinet Office.
