Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Ryotaro Tanose denied Wednesday he pocketed some 10 million yen of the government-paid salary allocated to his secretary after the aide had quit his job.
A fund management body of the lawmaker also claimed the aide donated 1.5 million yen to the group.
According to a senior member of the LDP faction to which Tanose belongs, the Lower House member elected from Nara Prefecture told him the secretary was in fact working for his office during the period at issue.