Photo/Illutration Internal affairs minister Yoshimasa Hayashi enters the prime minister’s office on Nov. 21. (Takeshi Iwashita)

A law professor at Kobe Gakuin University on Dec. 1 filed a criminal complaint against the campaign treasurer for internal affairs minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, alleging vote buying in the 2024 Lower House election.

In the complaint submitted to the Hiroshima District Public Prosecutors Office, Hiroshi Kamiwaki said the treasurer falsified receipts for payments to at least five campaign members who neither worked nor received the money in the election.

The false entries in the campaign’s financial reports, according to Kamiwaki, constitute vote buying in violation of the Public Offices Election Law.

The complaint also states that Hayashi’s campaign paid a total of 181,000 yen ($1,160) to 10 campaign workers under the guise of labor fees.

This also constitutes vote buying, Kamiwaki said.

He cited multiple news reports, including those from The Asahi Shimbun.

Hayashi had addressed the issue during a Lower House Internal Affairs Committee meeting on Nov. 20.

“We judged that a thorough review is necessary,” he said. “The office is currently conducting verification work.”

Hayashi’s constituency is Yamaguchi Prefecture’s No. 3 district.

However, Kamiwaki submitted the complaint to the Hiroshima prosecutors office “because it has a special criminal division.”

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