The Tokyo District Court on Wednesday suspended the decade-old bribery trial of former Ibaraki Gov. Fujio Takeuchi, judging he is too ill to continue the proceedings.
The suspension is until June 30. But because Takeuchi, 86, is not expected to recover, the trial may be terminated without any ruling. It began in December 1993.
Takeuchi's lawyers submitted their client's medical records, calling for a halt in the trial. Article 314 of the Criminal Procedure Law, which covers suspensions, can be evoked when a defendant is unable to attend court sessions due to illness or mental incapacity.
Takeuchi is reportedly suffering from lung cancer and may also be senile.
Last month, the district court used its authority to commission psychiatrists to examine Takeuchi to determine if he is suffering from senility. Results have yet to be revealed from the expert analysis.
Takeuchi is accused of receiving 95 million yen in bribes from four general contractors -- Hazama Corp., Shimizu Corp., Kajima Corp. and Tobishima Corp. -- in connection with a widespread scandal involving the construction industry and other governors and municipal mayors that broke during the tax evasion probe involving the late Liberal Democratic Party kingpin Shin Kanemaru.
Takeuchi admitted accepting 10 million yen in cash from Tobishima but denied receiving money from the other contractors.
Of the nine people at these firms accused of bribing Takeuchi, four pleaded guilty. The other five claimed they were innocent and are still on trial.
The suspension of Takeuchi's protracted trial comes amid growing calls for faster legal proceedings in Japan. As part of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's judicial reform initiative, a law took effect in July placing a two-year limit on district court trials.
Takeuchi's trial has lasted so long because it involves 10 defendants, including people from four different companies.