Junichi Izui, an oil wholesaler now on trial for income tax evasion and fraud, said Friday in sworn testimony before the Lower House Budget Committee that he provided 278 million yen to lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, including LDP policy chief Taku Yamasaki.
Izui said he gave Yamasaki 200 million yen to be handed over to the late LDP faction chief Michio Watanabe, who served as deputy prime minister and foreign minister on three occasions between October 1991 and July 1993. Izui said he also gave funds to Finance Minister Hiroshi Mitsuzuka, Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi and LDP executive council chief Yoshiro Mori.
Izui, 61, who has been released on bail, answered questions from the chairman of the committee and seven lawmakers from six parties for nearly three hours. Concerning the 100 million yen he provided to Yamasaki on Oct. 14, 1991, Izui said Yamasaki had asked for funds for Watanabe to spend on preparation for an LDP presidential election. "While we were having dinner, Yamasaki told me that about 300 million yen was needed for (Watanabe to run in) the presidential election. So I told him I could provide about 10 percent," Izui told the committee.
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