柿沢議員、買収認める意向　区議らに現金、否認から一転―区長選巡る公選法違反事件

　東京都江東区長選を巡る事件で、公選法違反（買収など）容疑で逮捕された衆院議員の柿沢未途容疑者（５２）が買収容疑について、否認から一転、認める意向であることが６日、関係者への取材で分かった。
　柿沢容疑者は昨年２～３月ごろ、木村弥生前区長（５８）を当選させる目的で区議ら９人に現金２０万円ずつ計１８０万円の提供を持ち掛けたほか、同７～１０月ごろ、木村氏の選挙運動に関わった元区議に報酬として約８０万円を支払ったなどとして同１２月２８日に逮捕された。
　関係者によると、柿沢容疑者は逮捕前の任意聴取に、「現金は区長選と同じ日に行われた区議選の陣中見舞いで、区長選の支援を依頼する趣旨ではなかった」などと違法性を否定していた。しかし逮捕後、区議らへの現金について買収の趣旨が含まれることを争わない意向に転じたという。（2024/01/06-14:17）

Japanese House of Representatives member Mito Kakizawa intends to admit to vote-buying allegations over a mayoral election in Tokyo despite his initial denial, sources familiar with the matter said Saturday.
   Kakizawa, 52, was arrested on Dec. 28 on suspicion of offering to pay 200,000 yen each to nine people, including assembly members of Tokyo's Koto Ward, between February and March to help Yayoi Kimura to win the ward mayoral election.
   The Lower House member also allegedly paid about 800,000 yen between July and October to a former ward assembly member involved in Kimura's campaign.
   He had denied the vote-buying allegations during voluntary questioning conducted by investigators before the arrest, according to the sources.
   At the time, Kakizawa had told the investigators that the money was intended not to ask for support for Kimura in the mayoral election but to support candidates in a ward assembly election, the sources said.