In a growing scandal, the office of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is suspected of discarding receipts issued by Tokyo hotels that may have showed it covered part of the costs of dinner functions held for supporters, according to sources close to the matter.
Prosecutors, who are investigating the case as a possible violation of the political funds control law, have also found that the amount covered totaled more than ¥9 million ($86,000) over a five-year period through last year, the sources said Wednesday.
The scandal could deal a blow to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who served as chief Cabinet secretary under Abe before replacing him in September.