Lower House lawmaker Takanori Sakai pleaded not guilty Thursday to hiding political donations and defrauding the government.
Sakai is accused of hiding 168 million yen in donations and taking some 24 million yen in salaries paid to a nonexistent secretary.
Aki Shionoya, Sakai's policy secretary, is accused of the same charges. She also claimed innocence during the opening session of their trial at the Tokyo District Court.