Lawyers: Wind Power Company President to Admit to Bribing Lawmaker in Japan

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:49 JST, August 11, 2023

A president of a wind power company who has been under investigation by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office is planning to admit to bribing lower house member Masashi Akimoto, lawyers of the president said Friday.

Masayuki Tsukawaki, 64, president of Tokyo-based Japan Wind Development Co., established a racehorse ownership group with Akimoto, 48, in fall of 2021, and paid about ¥30 million to the group, which was effectively controlled by Akimoto, from October 2021 to June of this year, sources said. Of the amount, about ¥10 million was given to Akimoto’s side in cash in October 2022, according to the sources.

Tsukawaki had denied giving a bribe during prosecutors’ voluntary questionings, and was quoted as saying, “I did not give [money] to lawmaker Akimoto.” However, Tsukawaki changed his mind and is now willing to admit the bribery charge, his lawyers said.