The Japanese media was caught off guard when former Justice Minister Katsuyuki Kawai suddenly pleaded guilty during his trial for allegedly buying votes in Hiroshima Prefecture during the 2019 Upper House election.
Kawai had previously denied the accusation that he had distributed around ¥30 million to about 100 people in order to help elect his wife, Anri, who was running on the Liberal Democratic Party ticket. The fact that he not only changed course in the middle of his trial but resigned his own Lower House seat had reporters scratching their heads.
Some have pondered Kawai’s about-face in a clinical manner, ignoring his own explanation that it was the result of soul-searching. On March 23, the day of the plea change, journalist Akira Sato, who has been covering the Kawai case closely, said on the web talk show “Hitotsuki Mansatsu” that for most media the key point was the source of the ¥150 million given to Kawai by LDP headquarters for Anri’s campaign. Kawai reportedly used part of this fund to buy votes, and the press expected the matter would come to light during his testimony.
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