Toshiyuki Takigawa

Prosecutors indicted Toshiyuki Takigawa, 55, on charges of violating the Political Funds Control Law. The LDP faction until recently was headed by former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto.

Takigawa was arrested Aug. 29 on suspicion of failing to declare a ¥100 million political donation Hashimoto received from the Japan Dental Association in July 2001.

The prosecutors also indicted Sadao Usuda, 73, former chairman of the association, and its former director, Hirotake Uchida, 63, on a charge of failing to list the donation in the accounting report of the body's political arm.

Prosecutors questioned Hashimoto, who is believed to have received a check worth ¥100 million from Usuda at a Tokyo restaurant.

However, the investigators are expected to wrap up their probe without establishing a case against Hashimoto, concluding that they lack the evidence to prove he was involved in hiding the donation.

The Japan Times Weekly: Sept. 25, 2004
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