Tokyo, Oct. 21 (Jiji Press)--Japanese new agriculture minister Arata Takebe said Wednesday that he had returned a political donation from a public works contractor and corrected a political funds disclosure report following a weekly magazine report about the donation, which was made during an election campaign period.

"I didn't know the company had won a public works contract when the donation was received," Takebe told reporters. "I checked the matter today, returned the money and corrected the political funds disclosure report."

He denied other reported issues, including suspicions of voter bribery, saying, "I don't believe I have violated the public offices election law."

News website Bunshun Online reported that a district branch of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Hokkaido, northernmost Japan, that is headed by Takebe received a political donation from a local contractor engaged in national public works.

The donation was made on the first day of official campaigning for the 2024 election of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament.

Japanese agriculture minister Arata Takebe answers questions from reporters at his ministry in Tokyo on Wednesday.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]