Public prosecutors questioned former Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka in late July about allegations that she misused the government salary of her secretary before they decided not to indict her, investigative sources said Saturday.
Tanaka, 59, apparently told prosecutors she had not misappropriated the money and the secretary was actually working for her, denying allegations she used the person's name simply to pocket the pay, they said.
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office is expected to officially decide by early September not to indict her after reporting the results of its investigation, including the questioning, to the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office.