Former Tokushima Gov. Toshio Endo pleaded guilty Friday to charges of receiving 8 million yen in bribes from a business consultant in 1997 and 2000 in return for helping a local construction firm win public works projects in the prefecture.
In his first session before the Tokyo District Court, 59-year-old Endo admitted that he helped local contractor Ichiba Nishimura Kensetsu take part in road construction and other projects between 1996 and 1997.
In return, Endo received 8 million yen from the firm on two occasions, in 1997 and 2000, via Mitsuo Ozaki, a 56-year-old executive of the Tokyo consulting firm Gyosai Toshi Kaihatsu Kenkyujo (Gyosaiken), who stands accused of various bribery charges at the same court.