Overview

• The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office’s special investigations unit searched Ishii’s Diet office in Nagatacho and his local office in Toride on August 27 and conducted additional searches on August 28.
• Investigators say the salary funds were deposited into the former registered secretary’s personal account and are examining whether any of the money was passed to Ishii.
• Ishii announced on August 29 that he intends to resign from the House of Councillors following the searches by prosecutors.
• Nippon Ishin’s standing executive committee decided on August 29 to expel Ishii after party leaders questioned him earlier that morning.
• A 2004 legal change directs state-paid secretary salaries to secretaries themselves, yet it offers no safeguard against secretaries later transferring funds to legislators, a gap highlighted by past prosecutions.