秋元議員「無罪主張、闘う」　来月、国会出席の意向―ＩＲ汚職

　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、収賄罪で起訴され、保釈された衆院議員秋元司被告（４８）が１４日、衆院第１議員会館で記者会見した。秋元被告は「裁判で無罪を主張し、闘っていきたい」と訴え、国会に３月ごろから出席する意向を示した。
　濃紺のスーツに、水色と紫色のストライプのネクタイ姿で会場に現れた秋元被告。集まった１００人弱の報道陣に少し驚いた様子も見せた。
　「私の主張をまず申し上げるためにこの場を設けさせていただいた」と切り出すと、起訴された内容一つ一つに反論しつつ、潔白を主張。「特定の事業者のために便宜を図ったことは断じてない」と訴え、贈賄側の中国企業「５００ドットコム」との関係についても「非難されているような癒着はなく、賄賂を受け取ったことは一切ない」と説明した。（2020/02/14-20:57）

Japanese lawmaker Tsukasa Akimoto, released on bail Wednesday, has held a news conference to deny corruption charges against him.
   "I'll claim my innocence in the trial," House of Representatives member Akimoto, 48, told the conference Friday.
   He also expressed his wish to attend parliamentary meetings from around March. But he said he has no intention to testify before the Diet as a sworn witness.
   Akimoto was arrested in December last year on suspicion of taking bribes over a project to build a casino-featuring integrated resort. He used to be state minister in charge of affairs related to casino resorts, which the government plans to introduce to Japan.
   Akimoto said he hopes to run in the next Lower House election. He also expressed his desire to return to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which he quit after the scandal broke, if he is ruled not guilty.