Society

Ex-farm minister indicted on bribery charge

Jan 16 (NHK) - Tokyo prosecutors on Friday indicted former agriculture minister Yoshikawa Takamori on a charge of receiving bribes from a major egg producer while in office.

Prosecutors say Yoshikawa received a total of 5 million yen, or about 48,000 dollars, on three occasions between November 2018 and August 2019.

A former head of Hiroshima-based Akita Foods, Akita Yoshiki, has been charged with paying the bribe.

Akita reportedly asked that the agriculture ministry oppose draft standards for poultry breeding drawn up by an international organization, and that Yoshikawa help the poultry industry get support from a government-owned financial institution.

Neither Yoshikawa nor Akita has been detained. Prosecutors apparently assumed that Yoshikawa does not pose a flight risk, because the 70-year-old former lawmaker has been hospitalized for heart surgery.

Sources say Yoshikawa has admitted to receiving the cash, but told prosecutors that he thought the money was aimed at congratulating him for his Cabinet appointment or supporting his political activities.

The former head of Akita Foods has also been charged over the company's purchase of tickets for fundraising parties held by Yoshikawa's political organization.

The 87-year-old former head is suspected of falsely using the names of employees to buy the tickets, in violation of the political funds control law.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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