議員５人から任意聴取　中国企業が「現金渡した」―ＩＲ汚職・東京地検

　カジノを含む統合型リゾート（ＩＲ）事業をめぐる汚職事件で、東京地検特捜部は３日までに、衆院議員秋元司容疑者（４８）＝自民離党＝への贈賄容疑で逮捕された中国企業側の容疑者が「現金を渡した」と供述した別の国会議員５人から任意で事情聴取したもようだ。一部議員は取材に事情聴取を受けたと認めた。
　関係者によると、５人はいずれも衆院議員で、自民党の岩屋毅前防衛相＝大分３区＝、宮崎政久法務政務官＝比例九州＝、中村裕之前文部科学政務官＝北海道４区＝、船橋利実氏＝比例北海道＝と、日本維新の会の下地幹郎元郵政民営化担当相＝比例九州＝。
　宮崎氏は「金銭の提供を受けたことは一切ない。地検にも説明し、納得いただいたと理解している」と文書で回答。中村氏の秘書は金銭提供を「ありません」とした。岩屋氏は４日、大分県別府市内で記者会見する。船橋氏と下地氏からは回答を得られていない。
　資金提供は秋元容疑者に３００万円を渡したとされる２０１７年９月下旬に近接する時期で、企業側は５人への資金提供を電子機器に記録していた。中国企業は北海道留寿都村でのＩＲ事業参入を目指しており、特捜部は、道選出の議員やＩＲに理解を示す議員らに取り入ろうとしたとみて、事実確認を進めているもようだ。（2020/01/04-00:42）

Tokyo prosecutors have questioned five Japanese lawmakers on a voluntary basis in relation to a casino resort corruption case involving a Chinese firm that has led to the arrest of Tsukasa Akimoto, a member of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament, informed sources said Friday.
   The questioning took place after people linked to the Chinese firm, 500.com, who have been arrested for bribing Akimoto, told the special team of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office that they have provided cash to the five lawmakers as well.
   One or more of the five lawmakers admitted being questioned by the prosecutor team. The team is investigating the Chinese firm's intention behind the suspected cash gift and details of how the money was given to the five Diet members, the sources said.
   The special team arrested Akimoto, 48, former Cabinet Office state minister in charge of the Japanese government's project to launch casino-featuring integrated resorts, on Dec. 25 for allegedly accepting 3.7 million yen in bribes, including 3 million yen in cash, from Shenzhen-based 500.com, which was planning to open an IR in the village of Rusutsu in the northernmost Japan prefecture of Hokkaido.
   Three 500.com-linked people, including Masahiko Konno, 48, and Katsunori Nakazato, 47, were arrested the same day on suspicion of offering the bribes to Akimoto.