Ex-lawmaker Tokuda

Ex-lawmaker Tokuda

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows Takeshi Tokuda, a former member of the House of Representatives. Prosecutors filed a lawsuit on April 4, 2014, seeking to ban Tokuda from running in a general election for the lower house from a single-seat constituency in Kagoshima Prefecture for five years. Tokuda, a son of major hospital chain Tokushukai founder Torao Tokuda, resigned as a lower house member in February after his illegal election campaign came to light.

Lawmaker Tokuda submits resignation

Lawmaker Tokuda submits resignation

TOKYO, Japan - House of Representatives member Takeshi Tokuda attends a press conference in Tokyo on Feb. 24, 2014, after submitting his resignation. Tokuda's family members are awaiting court rulings on an election scandal involving major hospital chain Tokushukai.

Lawmaker Tokuda submits resignation

Lawmaker Tokuda submits resignation

TOKYO, Japan - House of Representatives member Takeshi Tokuda ends a press conference in Tokyo on Feb. 24, 2014, after submitting his resignation. Tokuda's family members are awaiting court rulings on an election scandal involving major hospital chain Tokushukai.

LDP lawmaker Tokuda

LDP lawmaker Tokuda

TOKYO, Japan - Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Takeshi Tokuda answers reporters' questions after meeting LDP Secretary General Shigeru Ishiba at the Diet building in Tokyo on Nov. 12, 2013. Tokuda will leave the ruling party after six people linked to him were arrested on suspicion of illegally providing rewards to people who worked on the lower house member's December 2012 general election campaign.

LDP lawmaker Tokuda

LDP lawmaker Tokuda

TOKYO, Japan - Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Takeshi Tokuda answers reporters' questions after meeting LDP Secretary General Shigeru Ishiba at the Diet building in Tokyo on Nov. 12, 2013. Tokuda will leave the ruling party after six people linked to him were arrested on suspicion of illegally providing rewards to people who worked on the lower house member's December 2012 general election campaign.

6 arrested over Tokuda's election campaign

6 arrested over Tokuda's election campaign

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Takeshi Tokuda. On Nov. 12, 2013, police arrested six people linked to Tokuda, including his two elder sisters, on suspicion of illegally providing rewards to people who worked on the lower house member's campaign for the December 2012 general election.

Prosecutors raid Tokuda's Diet office

Prosecutors raid Tokuda's Diet office

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows Takeshi Tokuda, a House of Representatives member and son of Torao Tokuda, former chief of the Tokushukai hospital and welfare business chain. On Nov. 1, 2013, prosecutors raided Tokuda's parliamentary office over an election fraud scandal involving the pair and more than 200 of the chain's employees.