The Tokyo District Court sentenced former Diet lawmaker Takanori Sakai to 32 months in prison Friday for not reporting 168 million yen in political donations and defrauding the state out of 24 million yen.
It also sentenced the former Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker's ex-secretary, Aki Shionoya, 40, to 20 months in prison for the same crimes. Both Sakai, 57, and Shionoya immediately filed appeals and requested release on bail.
Presiding Judge Kunihiko Koma called their conduct in defrauding the state "malicious," saying their deception caused public distrust in politics.