OSAKA -- Former Osaka Gov. "Knock" Yokoyama must pay back the 46 million yen retirement allowance he received for his first four-year term now that his suspended prison sentence for molestation has been finalized, it was announced Friday.
According to the prefectural government, Yokoyama, 68, last April received the allowance for his first term, from April 1995 to April 1999. The total amount was 56 million yen, including 10 million yen he paid in income tax.
But because his sentence for molesting a 22-year old ex-campaign worker during his re-election bid last April was finalized Thursday at midnight, the prefecture decided to order Yokoyama to pay back the whole amount other than the tax in accordance with prefectural ordinances because he committed the crime during his first term.
The prefecture also decided not to pay a 10 million yen retirement allowance for his second term between April and December last year.
According to prefectural officials, the order to pay back the allowance will be issued within a month and Yokoyama has to pay within 20 days of the date of issue.
But if he asks for a postponement of the payment, it can be delayed as long as five years with interest added.
Yokoyama has paid 11 million yen in damages to the woman and is reported to be millions of yen in debt.