FUKUOKA (TR) – The Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly has been rocked by allegations that two lawmakers handed over a total of 27.5 million yen in cash to Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) executives to secure the posts of chairman and vice-chairman, reports TV Nishi Nippon (July 5).
Current assemblyman Motoaki Yoshimatsu, who assumed the role of assembly chairman in June 2020, told reporters that he was pressured by LDP executives to provide roughly 20 million yen upon taking office. The cash was ostensibly demanded to cover the costs of “networking golf” events to build consensus with other political factions.
“I was told to cover the costs of friendly golf outings with other factions by [Assemblyman Kensei] Haraguchi,” Yoshimatsu revealed. To meet the steep demand, Yoshimatsu claims he was forced to borrow money from a friend.
Yoshimatsu secretly recorded the illicit exchange. In the audio tape, a voice is heard detailing a “Masters” golf event involving other factions, warning that it would require “a lot of money.” The cash was reportedly demanded under the influence of Assembly Chairman Kurauchi, a powerful political boss widely dubbed the “Don of the Prefectural Assembly.”
However, Assemblyman Haraguchi, who allegedly ordered the payments, has vehemently denied the allegations. “I have never made such demands, and no such thing occurred,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Hideyuki Eto, who assumed the role of vice-chairman during the same period, corroborated the cash-for-posts scheme, admitting he also paid off party executives.
“I definitely did it,” Eto confessed. “When I became vice-chairman, it was 5 million yen.”
With the illicit cash handed over by the two lawmakers totaling at least 27.5 million yen, political figures are expected to face severe scrutiny over the murky trading of cash for the assembly’s most powerful seats.
