The Tokyo High Court on Wednesday barred Hiroshi Kumagai, former leader of the now-defunct New Conservative Party, from running for a House of Representatives seat from his Shizuoka No. 7 constituency for five years because an aide was found guilty of buying votes in the November general election.
Kumagai's "guilt-by-association" ruling is in line with prosecutors' demands for the ban after his former secretary, Tatsuya Hidaka, was sentenced to a suspended 18-month prison term in January for violating the Public Offices Election Law.
Kumagai lost the election and subsequently stepped down as head of the NCP, which at the time had been a component of the ruling coalition. He indicated afterward he would retire from politics.