Justice Minister Midori Matsushima had more than 20,000 "uchiwa" paper fans bearing her name made between 2012 and this year that she distributed to residents in her constituency in Tokyo, it was learned Thursday.
Opposition lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Japan charge this could constitute an act of "donation," which is banned under the Public Offices Election Law.
The fans, some of which bore Matsushima's name with her justice minister title, cost her ¥1.78 million, according to Michiyoshi Yunoki, a DPJ member who is pursuing the case and who requested details of the spending from the minister.
Among the 20,000 fans, which were distributed to people at summer festivals in her district, 1,480 were made in 2012, 5,500 in 2013 and 15,000 this year, Yunoki said.
Matsushima, a former Asahi Shimbun reporter turned politician, has also recently come under attack for calling accusations against her in the Diet, over her possible misuse of funds, as "noises."