Ex-minister Suzuki imprisoned over Hokkaido scandals

Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010

Kyodo News

Former House of Representatives lawmaker Muneo Suzuki was imprisoned Monday for bribery and other crimes after his conviction was finalized by the Supreme Court in September.

Muneo Suzuki KYODO PHOTO

The 62-year-old leader of New Party Daichi, a small political party, is to be jailed for about 17 months after getting credit for time spent in detention during the investigation and court proceedings.

His imprisonment was postponed after he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in October and underwent surgery and other treatment.

Prior to his imprisonment, Suzuki told reporters that he is innocent and will continue his "fight against the wrongful authorities."

Suzuki was initially put in the Tokyo Detention House before authorities decided which prison to send him to.

Suzuki, who was state minister in charge of development for Hokkaido from 1997 to 1998, was found guilty of taking bribes from companies in Japan's northernmost prefecture as well as for failing to declare political donations and perjury in the Diet.

He lost his Diet seat and was sentenced to two years in prison and given a fine of ¥11 million.

Suzuki will be banned from running for a public post for five years after completing his sentence, but expressed his intention to remain at the helm of the New Party Daichi during a party gathering in September.

According to the final ruling, Suzuki received a total of ¥6 million in bribes from a construction firm in Abashiri, Hokkaido, while he was serving as chief of the Hokkaido Development Agency from 1997 to 1998, and ¥5 million from a timber company in Obihiro in southeast Hokkaido in August 1998 when he was deputy chief Cabinet secretary.

He also made a false statement in his political funds report for 1998 and lied under oath when he was summoned as a sworn witness to the lower house Budget Committee in 2002, the ruling said.

Suzuki first won his Diet seat on the Liberal Democratic Party ticket in the December 1983 Lower House election after working as secretary for a former farm minister.