Masatoshi Akimoto

Masatoshi Akimoto (秋本 真利, Akimoto Masatoshi, born 10 August 1975) is an independent politician serving in the House of Representatives of Japan.[1] He entered the Diet in December 2012 and has been elected to four terms, initially in the Chiba 9th district and then as a member representing the Southern Kanto proportional representation block.[2] Until August 2023 he was a member of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP).[3] He is opposed to nuclear power, a position that is at odds with that of his former party, and had served on an LDP panel favoring renewable energy.[2][4]

In August 2023 Japanese prosecutors alleged that Akimoto accepted bribes from the head of a wind power company.[3] According to prosecutors, the president of Japan Wind Development made ¥30 million in investments in a group run by Akimoto that specialized in ownership of race horses. Prosecutors claimed the money actually went to Akimoto, who accepted the money in order to raise questions in the Diet about not placing excessive restrictions on offshore wind power, as the company in question was bidding on a new wind power installation off the coast of Aomori Prefecture.[2] A lawyer for the wind power company denied the allegations, saying that the money went to different investors in the horse ownership group. Akimoto resigned his post as Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs on August 4, 2023, the same day that prosecutors searched his home and offices on a warrant.[5] He resigned from the Liberal Democratic Party the following day.[3]