秋元議員を任意聴取　中国企業の外為法違反―ＩＲ関連捜査・東京地検

　日本での統合型リゾート（ＩＲ）事業進出を計画していた中国企業が不正に現金を国内に持ち込んだ疑いがある事件で、東京地検特捜部がＩＲ担当の内閣府副大臣だった秋元司衆院議員（４８）＝自民、東京１５区＝から任意で事情聴取したことが１８日、関係者への取材で分かった。秋元議員は不正への関与を否定したとみられる。
　関係者によると、中国企業の最高経営責任者（ＣＥＯ）は２０１７年８月に那覇市で行われたＩＲ関連シンポジウムで基調講演を行い、沖縄でのＩＲ事業展開に意欲を示した。このシンポジウムには秋元議員も出席、講演しており、特捜部は秋元議員本人から、中国企業との関係について説明を求める必要があると判断したもようだ。（2019/12/18-09:55）

Public prosecutors have questioned Japanese House of Representatives lawmaker Tsukasa Akimoto over suspected cash smuggling by a former executive of a Chinese company that had planned to open an integrated resort in Japan, informed sources said Wednesday.
   The special squad of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office questioned Akimoto, a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party who was a state minister in charge of IRs at the Cabinet Office, on a voluntary basis.
   According to the sources, Akimoto, 48, has denied his involvement with the company, which the prosecutors suspect brought a large amount of cash illegally into Japan.
   The Chinese firm's chief executive officer, in a keynote speech at an IR-related symposium held in Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture, in August 2017, expressed enthusiasm to expand the company's IR business to the southernmost Japan prefecture, the sources said.
   As Akimoto also attended and gave a speech at the event, the special squad apparently saw the need to ask for an explanation from Akimoto on his relationship with the company.