Tokyo Governor Election Bribery Case (Reiwa 7 (Wa) 35)

In 2025, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Special Investigation Squad indicted Sato Yumiko, a former candidate in the 2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election, and Kurokawa Atsuhiko, the head of the political group "Tsubasa no To." The indictment alleged that during the election campaign, the defendants conspired to pay cash to individuals, including campaign staff, for putting up election posters. This activity was deemed to constitute bribery in violation of the Public Offices Election Law, as it involved illegal remuneration for campaign activities that are supposed to be volunteer-based. The case, docketed as Reiwa 7 (Wa) 35, stemmed from a broader investigation into aggressive and disruptive campaign tactics employed by the group.

The trial at the Tokyo District Court is currently ongoing as of 2025. Specific verdicts have not yet been handed down for the key defendants in this particular docket number, though related convictions have occurred in the broader investigation.

The primary legal dispute focused on whether the payments made to campaign workers were legitimate compensation for labor or illegal bribes intended to secure an unfair advantage in the election. The defense argued the payments were standard outsourcing fees, while the prosecution contended they were excessive rewards designed to incentivize electioneering, thereby violating the Public Offices Election Law's restrictions on paid campaign activities.

The case intensified public scrutiny of campaign finance and aggressive electioneering tactics in Japan. The extensive use of paid workers to dominate the visual landscape with posters led to calls for legal reform. The prosecution of a prominent political group leader also sparked a national debate on the boundaries between free speech, political campaigning, and corrupt practices.