Yamaguchi reports on public prosecutor raid of 2 lawmakers’ offices

August 6 , 2021

Yamaguchi reported to the party’s Central Secretariat on Aug. 5Yamaguchi reported to the party’s Central Secretariat on Aug. 5

On August 5, Komeito Chief Representative Natsuo Yamaguchi attended the party’s Central Secretariat meeting, where he reported what was known about the raid on two Komeito House of Representatives offices carried out by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office on August 4.

Yamaguchi explained that the public prosecutors searched the offices of Masataka Ota and Nobuhiro Yoshida, both Komeito House of Representatives members, seizing documents as part of an alleged moneylending irregularities investigation. Following the search and seizure, Yamaguchi said the two legislators and their aides were cleared of any improprieties at this time.

The Japanese news media claims that the Public Prosecutors Office is looking into suspects, two of them former advisors to a solar energy company that allegedly bilked investors and loaners. The Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported that the warrants issued for these former advisors over possible moneylending law violations also covered those with previous associates and their offices.

On behalf of Komeito, Yamaguchi issued a formal apology to the public and party supporters for any concern and misunderstanding that the incident may have caused.