柿沢氏側、区議らに現金か　東京・江東区長選前―地検が趣旨捜査

　４月の東京都江東区長選前、自民党の柿沢未途衆院議員（５２）側が地元区議らに現金を配った疑いがあることが２日、関係者への取材で分かった。東京地検特捜部は、柿沢氏の事務所関係者らから任意で事情を聴くなどして、現金の趣旨を慎重に調べているもようだ。
　区長選は「保守分裂」の構図となり、江東区を選挙区とする東京１５区選出の柿沢氏は木村弥生区長（５８）を支援していた。関係者によると、４月２３日投開票の区長選前、柿沢氏の事務所関係者が江東区議らに現金を配った疑いがあるという。
　公選法は、選挙で特定の候補者を当選または落選させる目的で、有権者や選挙運動員に金銭などを渡すことを禁じている。（2023/11/02-23:37）

Staff of former State Minister of Justice Mito Kakizawa is suspected of paying cash to assembly members of Tokyo's Koto Ward ahead of the mayoral election there in April, sources said Thursday.
   The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office is believed to be investigating the purpose of the cash through voluntary interviews with staff of Kakizawa's office and other people.
   Kakizawa of the Liberal Democratic Party is a lawmaker of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament. He represents Tokyo's No. 15 constituency in Koto Ward.
   Kakizawa, 52, resigned as state minister of justice Tuesday to take the blame for recommending the use of paid online advertisements to Koto Mayor Yayoi Kimura, 58, in the April election, in which she won the leadership of the ward for the first time.
   In the election, LDP people were divided over whether to support Kimura or another candidate. Kakizawa was among those who backed Kimura.