Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki admitted Tuesday that he gave Chinese mooncakes to ministry staff, as reported by a weekly magazine.
"I gave (the cakes) to the staff to encourage them and to reward them for their work in late January, when the Diet began (this year's ordinary session)," Suzuki said at a news conference, referring to parliament. He added that he paid for the cakes out of his own pocket.
Suzuki, who is a Lower House lawmaker elected from the southern Kanto region, could be accused of violating the public office election law if the ministry staff who received the cakes include residents of the region.
"It was just a small snack to thank them for their work," the minister said.
Junya Ogawa, secretary-general of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said at a separate news conference that Suzuki's act could amount to vote-buying, in violation of the law.
"Depending on the circumstances, he may have to resign," Ogawa said.
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