Agriculture Minister Shin Takebe has been reported to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Public Offices Election Act over about ¥860,000 paid to a professional photographer for his 2024 general election campaign, Bunshun Online reported.
The complaint was filed with the Kushiro District Public Prosecutors Office on November 6 by Hiroshi Uwajima, a professor at Kobe Gakuin University. It concerns payments Bunshun Online first reported in its October 22 issue.
Takebe, 56, spent the money on a photographer living in Sapporo, describing the outlay in campaign records as payment for photos and video taken to document election activity.
A campaign 'core figure' on the payroll
A man described as a member of Takebe's campaign committee told Bunshun Online that the campaign hired the photographer as part of its online strategy team.
“The campaign asked him to come as one of our online strategy people. He filmed at street speech locations and put it online right away. Takebe was making heavy use of the internet then, and he was the central figure in that.”a member of Takebe's campaign committee, told Bunshun Online
Election campaigning is in principle meant to be voluntary. With limited exceptions, campaigns may not pay remuneration to campaign workers, and paying a photographer who was central to the campaign's online strategy is suspected of breaching the law.
Complaint says minister shows no remorse
Uwajima said Takebe told the Diet the photography was only to keep a record of the campaign. At the same time, he said, the campaign's spending report listed the photographer as a vehicle-mounted campaign worker, a category that carries no pay.
“If a professional photographer's pictures reach a wide audience of voters, it plainly helps Takebe's chances of winning. It clearly amounts to election campaigning and violates the Public Offices Election Act.”Hiroshi Uwajima, professor at Kobe Gakuin University
The complaint states that Takebe has shown no remorse at all and that he appears to have no respect for the law.
The complaint follows six earlier reports by Bunshun Online on alleged violations involving Takebe. They include claims that he built a ¥30 million slush fund for a general election and illegally donated scallops and air purifiers to voters.
The allegations now sit with prosecutors. Takebe faces calls for a full public explanation.