Photo/Illutration Investigators from the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office head to the residence of lawmaker Mito Kakizawa in Tokyo's Koto Ward on Dec. 14. (Takuya Miyano)

Prosecutors are expanding their bribery investigation into Mito Kakizawa, a Lower House member suspected of buying votes to benefit a colleague during a Tokyo ward mayoral race in April.

Investigators from the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office searched Kakizawa’s home and Diet building office on Dec. 14.

That same day, Kakizawa, 52, submitted a request to leave the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which was accepted.

Kakizawa’s office in Tokyo’s Koto Ward had been searched previously on Nov. 16.

Prosecutors are looking for possible violations of the Public Offices Election Law during the Koto Ward mayoral election in April.

Yayoi Kimura, who was backed by Kakizawa, won the mayoral race but resigned in October after prosecutors raided her office due to allegations of running illegal, paid election campaign ads online.

The latest investigation revolves around suspicions that Kakizawa, through his aides, distributed money to Koto Ward assembly members to buy their support for Kimura.

Kakizawa’s aides are also suspected of violating another provision of the Public Offices Election Law by making illegal payments to campaign staff working for Kimura.

In a Nov. 30 statement distributed to his supporters, Kakizawa claimed the money given to Koto Ward assembly members was intended to encourage them in their own campaigns for the assembly. The assembly election was held at the same time as the mayoral election.

Kakizawa also suggested to Kimura that she run online advertising during the election, a legal violation.

Initially, Kakizawa claimed that he hadn’t realized this was illegal, but he later resigned in late October as senior vice justice minister to take responsibility for his involvement in the online advertising violation.

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