Former Vice Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya, on trial for bribery and perjury charges, made a final plea Tuesday for a suspended sentence and offered another apology for his deeds.
"I apologize from my heart for betraying the public by my thoughtless actions," Moriya, 64, said during the closing session of his trial at the Tokyo District Court. "I am very sorry for causing so much trouble to Self-Defense Forces members across the country who are working very hard to protect the lives of the Japanese people, and to all those who have been supporting the defense of this country."
Prosecutors last month demanded a 3 1/2-year prison term for Moriya. The court will hand down its sentence Nov. 5.