Kanju Sato

The money was paid to Sato as a salary for a secretary who never worked for him.

Sato, 62, immediately appealed the sentence to a high court.

Sato received the money between July 2000 and April 2003 by falsely registering a woman as one of his state-paid secretaries, the court said.

Sato pleaded guilty at the opening session of his trial July 13. His counsel asked the court for leniency, saying he had resigned as a lawmaker to accept the blame and had returned the money.

Sato, a member of the Democratic Party of Japan, resigned from the Lower House on March 5 after the scam was revealed. He was expelled from the party the same day.

The Japan Times Weekly: Sept. 18, 2004
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