Key Facts
• December 26: Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi apologized for election expense report errors.
• 269 labor payments reviewed; 13 payments totaling ¥130,000 found inaccurate.
• Payments to 13 individuals were removed after discrepancies were confirmed.
• Hayashi attributed errors to improper handling by a private secretary.
• Former lawmaker Shun Otoki criticized the issue as a ‘one-strike disqualification’ case.
• Hayashi denied resignation, stating intent to fulfill his duties as Minister of Internal Affairs.
• Opposition party plans to pursue the matter in next year’s regular Diet session.
• Legal expert Hiroyuki Uewaki filed a complaint with Hiroshima prosecutors on December 1.
• Hayashi ranked third in the recent LDP leadership race, securing a key cabinet position.
Summary
Former lawmaker Shun Otoki criticized Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi’s handling of election expense discrepancies, calling it a ‘one-strike disqualification’ issue. Hayashi apologized for errors involving ¥130,000 in labor payments to 13 individuals, which were later removed from the report. He attributed the mistakes to a private secretary’s improper actions but denied stepping down. Opposition parties plan to address the matter in the upcoming Diet session, while legal complaints have already been filed. Hayashi, a prominent figure in the ruling party, remains under scrutiny.
