TOKYO (AP) — Tokyo prosecutors said Thursday they have arrested the former vice foreign minister of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet on suspicion of accepting more than 61 million yen ($414,000) in bribes from a wind power company in return for his promotion of wind power and other favorable treatment.
Political Cartoons View All 1146 ImagesHe allegedly received another 31 million yen ($210,500) in connection to a racehorse owner's group between October 2021 and June this year.
Masayuki Tsukawaki, the 64-year-old former president of Japan Wind Development, has admitted that the payments were a “reward” for Akimoto, Kyodo said, quoting unnamed investigative sources.
“We cannot build social infrastructure for the future of Japan without fair competition,” said Norihisa Satake, governor of Akita, where Japan’s first full commercial operation of wind power generation began in December.
“We want operators to compete fairly and squarely with technology.”Established in 1999, Japan Wind Development has developed 293 turbines in and outside Japan with a combined output of more than 570 megawatts, according to the company's website.
Persons:
—, Fumio, Masatoshi Akimoto, Akimoto, Masayuki Tsukawaki, Kyodo, Tsukawaki, “, ”, wasn't, Kishida, Norihisa Satake
Organizations:
TOKYO, Liberal Democratic Party, Japan, Development, Kyodo, Akimoto, NHK, ”
Locations:
— Tokyo, Aomori, Jakarta, Indonesia, Japan, Akita