Japanese prosecutors on Friday indicted Takashi Tachibana, head of a fringe political group known for his controversial public activities that have drawn media attention, for defaming a former prefectural assembly member who died in January.

The 58-year-old former House of Councillors member is accused of spreading false information about Hideaki Takeuchi, a former Hyogo prefectural assembly member, before and after his death that he was under police investigation and "perhaps...took his own life before being arrested."

The focus is now on how the court will judge the actions of Tachibana, who heads the NHK Party that campaigns against the public broadcaster, particularly whether he was aware that his comments were false.

The requirements for establishing the crime of defamation against a dead person are stricter than those against a living person and no trial has been held, according to Supreme Court records, which become available in 1978.

Tachibana said before his arrest on Nov. 9 he had sufficient evidence to believe his comments were true and there was nothing illegal about them. But he changed the position after his arrest to partially admit to the allegation, a lawyer who met him said.

Tachibana's comments came after he verbally attacked Takeuchi in the Hyogo gubernatorial election campaign last November to garner support for eventual winner, Motohiko Saito, who ran after losing his position as the governor of western Japan prefecture over abuse of power allegations.

Takeuchi, 50, was a member of the special committee of the prefectural assembly investigating the allegations against Saito.

Tachibana stirred debate on fair elections after running in the gubernatorial race with the intention of helping Saito rather than getting elected himself. During the campaign, he told voters to cast their ballot for Saito and repeatedly made statements in favor of Saito.