Secretaries to LDP and DPJ Dietmembers preyed on public works projects

A former secretary to an influential Democratic Party of Japan member of parliament and the mayor of Ishioka City in Ibaraki Prefecture were arrested on January 15 on suspicion of obstructing fair bidding for the construction of a water purification facility.

The Tokyo District Prosecutor's Office charged that Ozaki Mitsuo leaked information about the price which he obtained from Ishioka City Mayor Kimura Yoshishiro.

Ozaki in 1994 established a consulting firm with former colleagues in the Diet. Using his connections with members of parliament and municipality heads as well as general contractor construction companies, he was helping machinery makers and construction companies.

In another case, Sato Saburo, director of the office of Kato Koichi, former Liberal Democratic Party secretary general, was questioned by the prosecutors on suspicion of tax evasion.

Akahata on January 16 carried a testimony of a contractor in Yamagata Prefecture that states he gave four million yen to Ozaki and one million yen to Sato in return for their influencing municipalities and politicians to award him contracts. (end)