ID :
13897
Sat, 07/26/2008 - 19:29
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https://oananews.org//node/13897
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Defense consultant suspected of receiving $250,000 from trader Yamada
TOKYO, July 26 Kyodo - Naoki Akiyama, a senior official of a Foreign Ministry-linked organization who was arrested Thursday on tax evasion charges, may have received $250,000 (about 30 million yen) in October 2006 from defense equipment trader Yamada Corp., sources said Saturday.
The money was handed to Akiyama, 58, directly by Yamada's senior officials in cash at a place in the United States, they said, adding that the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office has launched an investigation on suspicion that Akiyama received the money directly to avoid bank transaction records.
Akiyama is executive director of the Japan-U.S. Center for Peace and Cultural Exchange, established to promote cultural understanding between Japan and the U.S. Many Diet members close to the defense industry have served as head of the center.
It is suspected that Yamada officials paid the money for Akiyama's support for Yamada in securing sales agent contracts with U.S. defense equipment makers, the sources said.
Yamada officials were competing for those contracts with Motonobu Miyazaki, a former managing director of Yamada who had left the company and launched his own business, they said.
Prosecutors have been investigating Akiyama on suspicion of tax evasion which has emerged as part of investigations into a high-profile bribery scandal involving former Vice Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya, 63, and Yamada.
Miyazaki, 70, has been on trial for the bribery case.
Akiyama is suspected of hiding a total of about 232 million yen in consultancy fees and other income from 2003 and 2005 and of evading around 74 million yen in tax payments as a result.
Akiyama has denied the tax evasion allegation.
According to the sources, the $250,000 was paid from off-the-book funds at Yamada International Corp., a U.S. subsidiary of the Japanese defense equipment trader.
An internal document dated 2006 was also found. It says that Yamada was to pay $300,000 to Akiyama, the sources said. The $250,000 was probably paid as part of the $300,000.
The money was handed to Akiyama, 58, directly by Yamada's senior officials in cash at a place in the United States, they said, adding that the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office has launched an investigation on suspicion that Akiyama received the money directly to avoid bank transaction records.
Akiyama is executive director of the Japan-U.S. Center for Peace and Cultural Exchange, established to promote cultural understanding between Japan and the U.S. Many Diet members close to the defense industry have served as head of the center.
It is suspected that Yamada officials paid the money for Akiyama's support for Yamada in securing sales agent contracts with U.S. defense equipment makers, the sources said.
Yamada officials were competing for those contracts with Motonobu Miyazaki, a former managing director of Yamada who had left the company and launched his own business, they said.
Prosecutors have been investigating Akiyama on suspicion of tax evasion which has emerged as part of investigations into a high-profile bribery scandal involving former Vice Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya, 63, and Yamada.
Miyazaki, 70, has been on trial for the bribery case.
Akiyama is suspected of hiding a total of about 232 million yen in consultancy fees and other income from 2003 and 2005 and of evading around 74 million yen in tax payments as a result.
Akiyama has denied the tax evasion allegation.
According to the sources, the $250,000 was paid from off-the-book funds at Yamada International Corp., a U.S. subsidiary of the Japanese defense equipment trader.
An internal document dated 2006 was also found. It says that Yamada was to pay $300,000 to Akiyama, the sources said. The $250,000 was probably paid as part of the $300,000.
