Masatoshi Akimoto, an MP from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, resigned as parliamentary deputy foreign minister after raids were made on his offices.
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On Friday, prosecutors raided his offices in Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture, suspecting him of taking large bribes of “several tens of millions of yen” (several hundred thousand dollars) from Japan Wind Development, which develops offshore wind energy projects.
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The Japanese government is promoting wind power, among others, to decarbonize its energy system. The company tried to participate in government tenders, but could not win any.
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Then in February last year, Akimoto, who is considered one of the key figures in the field of legislation and promotion of renewable energy, raised the issue in parliament about the need to revise the standards for such tenders. As a result, the standards have been revised.
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Akiomoto in 2017-2018 served as Parliamentary Deputy Minister for Public Lands and Transport. In 2019, he played a prominent role in the creation of legislation on the use of maritime space for the development of renewable energy. Since last year, he has held the post of parliamentary deputy minister of foreign affairs.
