Japan's prosecutors on Thursday issued a summary indictment against former ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Kentaro Sonoura, along with his two former secretaries, for improperly reporting political funds.

The latest scandal could force the LDP led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to face headwinds in a string of local elections in the spring as well as in a by-election to select a replacement for Sonoura, who quit Wednesday, as a House of Representatives member.

Kentaro Sonoura. (Kyodo)

A political organization headed by Sonoura underreported some 41 million yen ($310,000) collected from six fundraising parties held between 2018 and 2020, the prosecutors said.

A separate group also led by Sonoura failed to report around 8 million yen in spending between 2018 and 2020, they added.

Among the former secretaries, Hayato Otani, 35, served as treasurer for both groups, while Shoji Sato, 80, supported Otani, investigative sources said.

During voluntary questioning by prosecutors, the former lawmaker admitted that he had been aware of the underreporting, and had been informed of it by one of the secretaries. He also expressed readiness to acknowledge collusion with the secretary, the sources said.

But Sonoura, known as an aide to LDP Vice President Taro Aso, said he had neither instructed wrongdoing nor used the unreported money for personal use, the sources added.

On Wednesday, the 50-year-old stepped down as a lower house member and left the LDP. In a statement, he apologized for having submitted "false" political funds reports and fostering "public distrust."

With the indictment, a summary court could fine Sonoura. If such an order is finalized, he will be banned from running for any election for five years in principle.

Both ruling and opposition lawmakers called on Sonoura to achieve accountability.

Kazuo Kitagawa, deputy chief of the LDP's junior coalition partner Komeito, said at a press conference on Thursday that it is "extremely regrettable" that Sonoura and his former secretaries violated the political funds control law.

It is also "very important" for the LDP to "take firm measures to prevent a recurrence," Kitagawa added.

Kenta Izumi, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, urged the LDP to "rigorously check" whether other lawmakers within the ruling party have been engaged in similar cases.

As the former lawmaker stepped down, a by-election in his Chiba Prefecture constituency, near Tokyo, is expected to be held in April, prompting the LDP to select a replacement candidate.

Local elections are also scheduled to be held across Japan in April.


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