Lawmaker Tsukasa Akimoto granted bail for casino graft case

A Japanese court granted bail Monday to lawmaker Tsukasa Akimoto, who has been detained since last August and is on trial over a bribery scandal linked to the country’s nascent casino market.

The Tokyo District Court decided to release the 49-year-old House of Representatives member on bail of 80 million yen ($730,000) following his defense lawyer’s sixth request. The Tokyo High Court rejected an appeal against the decision filed by prosecutors.

Akimoto, who is accused of receiving 7.6 million yen in bribes from a Chinese gambling operator that aimed to enter Japan’s casino market, paid the bail in cash.

Akimoto pleaded not guilty in the first hearing of his trial at the district court in March, saying, “I can clearly say I am not guilty on all charges I am facing.”

His former state-paid secretary Akihiro Toyoshima, who is also standing trial on the graft charge, has also pleaded not guilty. A total of eight people have been convicted over the casino bribery case.

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