Masanori Arai, a House of Representatives member from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, has admitted to being involved in buying votes ahead of the Nov. 9 election, investigative sources said Saturday.

"I distributed cash for the election," the Lower House member was quoted as saying during police questioning.

Arai was arrested Monday for allegedly ordering his campaign manager to buy votes for the general election, in violation of the Public Offices Election Law.

Arai had initially denied the allegations. He had maintained that he only asked his manager to distribute state subsidies for the LDP to cover expenses for the local chapter's activities.

However, the sources said, the 48-year-old lawmaker, who won his first Diet seat in the election, has now admitted the money was used to help him win.

Arai is still refusing to comment on other details of his role in buying the votes, the sources said.

According to the police, Arai is suspected of instructing Ikuo Sunagawa, 54, in October to hand out a total of 1.8 million yen to 18 people, including senior LDP officials and supporters in his Saitama No. 8 district, for vote-buying activities, such as visiting voters' homes to drum up support for him.

Strict Arai measures

New Komeito leader Takenori Kanzaki called Saturday for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to take "strict measures" against Masanori Arai, a Lower House lawmaker from the LDP who has been arrested for vote-buying.

The remark from the head of the LDP's ruling bloc partner comes shortly before the LDP makes a decision on Arai's fate. He has already notified officials that he intends to resign from the LDP.