Yukihiro Yoshida

Yoshida, 43, admitted during his first trial session to violating the Public Offices Election Law by conspiring with Yasushi Miwa, 60, former head of the Aichi Prefectural Dental Association's political arm, to give a ¥2 million check to each of five local assembly members in the prefecture in September 2003. The five were asked to help with Yoshida's re-election bid.

Miwa and the five assembly members pleaded guilty during the same session.

Yoshida ran in the Aichi No. 3 constituency in the November election. He lost to a candidate from the Democratic Party of Japan.

Prosecutors have also charged Yoshida, who is a dentist, with conspiring with former Japan Dental Association head Sadao Usuda, 73, and association executive Hirotake Uchida, 64, to embezzle ¥30 million of the dentist lobby's funds in August 2001 to help Usuda get re-elected.

Yoshida pleaded not guilty Nov. 9 to the embezzlement charge.

The Japan Times Weekly: Nov. 20, 2004
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