Photo/Illutration Megumi Hirose, an Upper House member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, leaves her home in Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward on July 31. (Ariha Noma)

Megumi Hirose, a former Upper House member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, was indicted on fraud charges on Aug. 30 over the government-paid salary provided to an aide who did no work.

The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office suspects Hirose, 58, defrauded the central government of money provided to the registered aide.

This is the first indictment under a law that was revised in 2004 to prevent improper receipts of state-paid salaries for Diet members’ aides.

According to Tokyo prosecutors, Hirose registered a married couple as her two public aides from December 2022 to December 2023, but the wife did not do any work for the politician.

The government paid a total of 3.58 million yen ($24,700) in salary and retirement allowance for the wife.

According to sources, the salary was transferred to the account of the supposed aide, but Hirose took most of the money.

In July, prosecutors searched Hirose’s office in the Nagatacho district of Tokyo, as well as other locations.

In follow-up interviews, Hirose admitted to receiving the salary and other benefits from the non-working aide.

Hirose, who was registered as a lawyer in 2001, was first elected to the Upper House in July 2022 from the Iwate prefectural district.

She left the LDP after the searches and resigned from the Diet on Aug. 15.

In a statement released upon her resignation. Hirose admitted to receiving the salary of her second public aide and explained that the motive was “to raise expenses for the office.”

Related News