Two men admit to IR bribery

Akihito Awaji and Fumihiko Sato say they offered money to a former 500.com advisor in exchange for false testimony. 

Japan.- Two men indicted in the bribery case involving Japanese lawmaker Tsukasa Akimoto have admitted trying to buy testimony to aid the former politician.  

Akimoto is accused of having taken a bribe from the Chinese operator 500.com in the form of an all-expenses-paid ski trip for him and his family, in exchange for information on Japan’s basic policy to select private partners for its future integrated resorts.  

The former lawmaker was released on bail in February but his bail was revoked after he was arrested for trying to bribe two former 500.com advisors in exchange for their testimony.   

Now during the first hearing, two men have admitted trying to help Akimoto by offering money to a 500.com advisor. Prosecutors demanded 14-month prison terms for Akihito Awaji, 54, and Fumihiko Sato, a 50-year-old company executive. 

According to the Japanese newspaper The Mainichi, Awaji and Sato offered 30 million yen (US$286,000) to Masahiko Konno, a former adviser to 500.com.