The Akimoto saga continues with the Tokyo District Court accepting an application from Japanese prosecutors to revoke the bail of Tsukasa Akimoto. The Japanese House of Representative member is facing multiple charges of bribery and violating Japan’s organised crime laws for attempting to pay off witnesses in an integrated resort (IR) bid.

Akimoto pocketed ¥7.6million ($71,000) concerning an IR development in Okinawa or Hokkaido.

Akimoto had deposited ¥30million ($284,000) bond in bail and set to forfeit this after the Tokyo Court granted a petition from prosecutors. The House of Representatives member is facing allegations that he accepted an all-expenses-paid trip for himself and his family to a villa in Hokkaido. The allegations surround the development of IR bid in Okinawa or Hokkaido by Chinese firm 500.com. Akimoto has been arrested four times in as many months by Japanese legal authorities over the allegations.

The 48-year-old Akimoto has emerged as the central player in the IR scandal, allegedly taking bribes to help the Chinese firm gain political support to enter the Japanese gambling industry.