04/22/2008THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
Former Vice Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya pleaded guilty Monday to accepting bribes and committing perjury in a scandal that exposed serious flaws in the procurement process for Japan's defense equipment.
In the opening hearing of the high-profile trial at the Tokyo District Court, Moriya, 63, admitted to allegations he received bribes totaling 12.49 million yen from two former senior Yamada Corp. officials between 2003 and 2007.
"While being in the top position as vice defense minister to exemplify morals for all Self-Defense Forces members, I have instead caused huge problems for them and the Japanese public,'' Moriya told the court. "I want to express my deep, deep apology.''
Moriya was once dubbed the "emperor'' of the Defense Ministry because of the authority he wielded.
He is charged with receiving bribes in the form of 3.63 million yen in cash, 12 golfing trips worth 3.89 million yen and 108 one-day golf excursions worth 4.97 million yen from former Yamada executive Motonobu Miyazaki and Osamu Akiyama, former president of the defense equipment trader's U.S. subsidiary.
The golf-related bribes were provided between August 2003 and April 2007, the indictment said.
As for the cash bribes, Moriya accepted 2.18 million yen from the former Yamada officials through his wife's bank account in May and June 2004, and 1.45 million yen via his daughter's account in February 2006, according to the indictment.
Miyazaki, 69, and Akiyama, 70, are charged with bribery in the same trial. Tomonari Imaji, 57, a former official of Yamada, is accused of forging official documents in connection with the bribery cases.
In their opening statement, prosecutors said Moriya repeatedly instructed subordinates to provide favors to companies represented by Miyazaki or with close ties to the executive for eight defense contracts.
Moriya, prosecutors said, pressed ministry officials to buy engines from General Electric Co., which Miyazaki had a close tie with, for use in the Air Self-Defense Force's next-generation cargo transport planes in 2007.
Other projects included the procurement of surface-to-surface missiles and engines for SDF escort vessels and naval helicopters, prosecutors said.
In sworn testimony before Diet committees in October and November 2007, Moriya committed perjury by denying he received money or free golf outings in exchange for giving favors to the former Yamada officials, the indictment said.
During Monday's hearing, prosecutors detailed the long collusive ties between Moriya and Yamada officials.
The scandal led to calls for an overhaul of the procurement system and affected talks on the SDF's anti-terrorism mission in the Indian Ocean.
Even after Moriya's arrest, a special prosecutors squad has continued investigating defense-related corruption.(IHT/Asahi: April 22,2008)
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