Fukuoka prefectural assembly member Eto Hidenori testified that he handed 5 million yen [1] to former vice-speaker Masayuki Nakao.
The testimony suggests a systemic culture of bribery within the regional legislature, where cash payments were allegedly required to secure leadership positions.
Eto said the payment occurred around December 2019 during a council session [2]. He described delivering the money in a brown bag, and said that he was told 5 million yen [1] was required after he expressed interest in the vice-speaker post. Eto said he prepared the funds because he believed it was a customary practice [2].
Masayuki Nakao denied the allegations. Nakao said he did not receive money and that no exchange of funds ever occurred [3].
Other assembly members have provided conflicting accounts of the scale of these payments. Yoshimatsu Motoharu said that every person who served as speaker or vice-speaker over the last 15 to 16 years was likely required to pay, though the amounts varied [3]. Yoshimatsu said he was asked for 10 million yen [1] when he became speaker in 2019.
Reports on the total volume of these transactions vary. While Eto testified to a 5 million yen [1] payment, other records indicate that Nakao paid a total of 8.25 million yen [4] to officials within the Liberal Democratic Party. Additionally, while some reports identify two assembly members who testified about these payments [2], others suggest as many as four members were involved in making such payments [5].
These revelations follow a series of investigations into the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly's internal conduct and the influence of party officials over leadership appointments.
“"I thought this must be a customary practice,"”
The testimony points to a potential 'pay-to-play' system within the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly, where leadership roles were not merit-based but purchased through customary payments. If these claims are verified, it suggests a long-term institutional failure of oversight and a breach of public trust that extends beyond a single official to a broader party culture.
