A former treasurer of the Liberal Democratic Party's largest faction pleaded guilty Wednesday to failing to report a 100 million yen political donation in 2001 but said former Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka played a key role in the coverup.
The ensuing scandal has rocked national politics and helped alter the power balance within the LDP.
Toshiyuki Takigawa, 55, told the Tokyo District Court that he conspired with faction executives in deciding not to report the donation from the Japan Dental Association in the faction's annual funds report for 2001, as required by the Political Funds Control Law.