Ex-Japan Cabinet minister pleads guilty to bribery

December 11, 2000
Web posted at: 12:40 PM HKT (0440 GMT)

TOKYO (Reuters) -- A former Japanese construction minister whose arrest prompted parliament to recently pass a tougher anti-corruption bill pleaded guilty on Monday to pocketing a bribe.

Eiichi Nakao, who served as construction minister from January to November 1996, pleaded guilty in the first session of his trial to accepting some 60 million yen ($539,300) in money from a construction company in 1996, Kyodo news agency reported.

Nakao, a former lawmaker from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), served in the House of Representatives for close to 30 years before losing his seat in lower-house elections last June.

Prosecutors said in their indictment that Nakao received the money from a construction company in return for favouring the firm in bidding for public works projects.

"I am truly sorry for causing such an incident to take place," Nakao was quoted by Kyodo as telling the Tokyo District Court.

Nakao's arrest in June prompted the government to draft an anti-corruption bill that was passed by parliament last month.

Japan's recent political history abounds with bribery scandals, but only a handful of prominent lawmakers have been arrested. Analysts cite narrow legal definitions of bribery as a major reason.

To be considered bribery, the favours provided in return for financial gain must fall strictly within a lawmaker's area of authority.

The new law makes it a crime for lawmakers, regardless of their position, to use their influence on government officials in return for financial gain.

The opposition parties, however, claim a loophole in the new law allows privately hired aides to act on behalf of politicians in peddling influence.

That's because the restrictions in the bill only apply to secretaries whose salaries are paid by the government. But most lawmakers hire private secretaries, sometimes as many as 10 or more, in addition to their two official assistants.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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