Tokyo prosecutors decided Wednesday not to indict former Justice Minister Midori Matsushima and Yoshimi Watanabe, the former head of the now-defunct Your Party, for allegedly violating election law and other laws.
The prosecutors dropped the case against Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Matsushima, who resigned as justice minister after facing a criminal complaint in October over the distribution of paper fans to constituents, which could count as a donation banned under the election law.
While it was deemed that the distribution of paper fans was a donation, prosecutors judged it was not subject to punishment as it was not aimed at winning a seat in an election, considering the timing of the distribution.