Scandal-tainted farm minister Tadamori Oshima faced more trouble Thursday as opposition lawmakers grilled House of Representatives Legislative Bureau officials who coached Oshima on how to respond to sensitive questions at a recent Diet committee session concerning misdeeds by his former aide.
The Legislative Bureau comprises legal experts who help lawmakers draft bills. It is supposed to be neutral and assist any legislator regardless of his or her party affiliation.
But during Thursday's meeting with opposition lawmakers, bureau officials admitted that they prepared model answers for Oshima so he could respond to questions by a Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker over Oshima's former secretary's alleged embezzlement of 6 million yen. The questioning took place during a special session devoted to money and politics held Feb. 20.