NTT, Tohokushinsha presidents apologize in Diet

Mar 16, 2021 | News On Japan

Mar 16, 2021 (NHK) - The presidents of Japan's telecom giant NTT and satellite broadcasting firm, Tohokushinsha Film Corporation, have apologized for a series of wining and dining scandals involving bureaucrats and lawmakers.

NTT president Sawada Jun and the president of Tohokushinsha, Nakajima Shinya, testified before an Upper House committee on Monday. The firms' officials allegedly treated communications ministry officials and lawmakers to expensive meals. Oie Satoshi of the main governing Liberal Democratic Party asked about the details and objective of the wining and dining of ministry officials by NTT. Sawada explained that his firm's officials treated ministry officials to meals three times -- twice in the autumn of 2018 and once in June last year. An interim report by the ministry says its officials were treated to meals on two occasions. Sawada said his firm's officials were not fully aware of the ethics code for public servants. But he said they did not make any work-related requests or ask for favors from the ministry officials. Sawada also made similar comments about the wining and dining with lawmakers. Nakajima spoke about another allegation against his firm. Tohokushinsha is said to have underreported its percentage of foreign capital when applying for a satellite broadcasting license four years ago. The ratio actually exceeded the legal limit at the time of the application. Nakajima said his firm was unaware that it had violated the foreign capital regulation. He said an employee realized in August 2017 that the company might be breaking the law and informed the communications ministry.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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