Lawyer Masaki Kito questions the Special Investigation Unit regarding summary indictment of former House of Representatives member Manabu Horii: “Up until now, the standard was over 30 million yen…” – Sponichi Annex Society

On the 30th, lawyer Masaki Kito (62) updated his X (formerly Twitter) account. He mentioned that the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Division on the 29th summarily indicted former House of Representatives member Manabu Horii (52) on charges of violating the Political Funds Control Law (false entry) for failing to report on the political funds income and expenditure report of a related political organization a total of approximately 17 million yen in illicit funds received from the Abe faction of the Liberal Democratic Party as excess sales of political funds party tickets.

He was also summarily indicted on charges of violating the Public Offices Election Act (donations) for providing condolence money and flowers to local voters. On the 29th, the Tokyo Summary Court issued a summary order to fine Horii 1 million yen and suspend his civil rights for three years for both charges. Horii resigned on the 28th. This is the fourth politician to be indicted in connection with the Abe faction’s slush fund scandal.

According to the indictment, Horii received a total of 17.14 million yen in illicit funds from the Abe faction over a three-year period up to 2021, but understated the amount he received in the annual income and expenditure reports of related political organizations. He also provided a total of 380,000 yen in condolence money and approximately 230,000 yen worth of flowers to 52 voters in his home district of Hokkaido over a two-year period up to October 2011. According to sources, Horii has admitted to the charges.

Kito wrote his own opinion, “The kickbacks Horii received from the Abe faction amounted to 17.14 million yen, while the standard for cases that have been indicted or summarily indicted up until now has been over 30 million yen. There is no denying that this is irrational,” and raised the question, “The special investigation unit explained that they ‘took not only the amount but also took into consideration all the circumstances comprehensively,'”

According to the results of a survey of 384 party members of parliament and others published by the LDP in February, a total of 85 people, including 82 incumbents and three electoral district branch chiefs, failed to report political funds between 2018 and 2022, totaling approximately 580 million yen. This does not include House of Representatives member Ikeda Yoshitaka, House of Councillors member Ohno Yasumasa, and former House of Representatives member Tanigawa Yaichi, who were indicted on charges of violating the Political Funds Control Act.

In terms of the amount not listed by individual member of parliament, former Secretary-General Nikai Toshihiro (House of Representatives, Wakayama 3rd District) had the highest amount at 35.26 million yen, followed by House of Representatives member Mitsubayashi Hiromi (Saitama 14th District, 29.54 million yen), former Policy Research Council Chairman Hagiuda Koichi (House of Representatives, Tokyo 24th District, 27.28 million yen), House of Councillors member Yamatani Eriko (proportional representation, 24.03 million yen), House of Representatives member Horii Manabu (Hokkaido proportional representation block, 21.96 million yen = he left the LDP and resigned as a member of parliament following a scandal involving violation of the Public Offices Election Act), and House of Councillors member Hashimoto Seiko (proportional representation, 20.57 million yen).

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