Opposition lawmaker Akira Ishii, who is suspected of fraud involving secretary pay, is believed to have cheated the government out of about ¥8 million ($54,000), informed sources said Thursday.
The 68-year-old member of the House of Councilors, the upper chamber of parliament, from Nippon Ishin no Kai is suspected of receiving salaries for a state-paid public secretary who actually did not work for him.
On Thursday, the special investigation squad of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office continued to search places related to Ishii, including his office in the city of Toride, Ibaraki Prefecture.
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