Former Lower House member Tadayoshi Iijima, who has been indicted on charges of vote-buying, pleaded guilty Wednesday during his first trial hearing before the Yokohama District Court.
According to prosecutors, Iijima gave gift certificates in July worth between 50,000 yen and 100,000 yen each to 15 people who worked to collect votes for him, violating the Public Offices Election Law.
Iijima, 55, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, also tried to offer similar gifts to nine others, according to prosecutors.
"My imprudent acts troubled many people," Iijima told the court. "I feel keenly the gravity of my conduct and responsibility. I offer my sincere apology."
Iijima offered the gifts after he failed to win re-election to the Kanagawa No. 4 constituency in the June general election, according to the indictment.
The 15 recipients include two members of the Kamakura Municipal Assembly, three members of the Zushi Municipal Assembly and three members of the Hayama Town Assembly, the indictment said.
Police sent papers on the 15 people to a local prosecutor's office on suspicion of violating the law, but prosecutors dropped the charges against the recipients, saying, "They did not make arrangements to receive the gifts prior to the election, and the criminality is not grave."
Iijima was first elected to the House of Representatives in October 1996 after serving as a member of the Yokohama Municipal Assembly for four four-year terms.