Yasuo Takei

The Tokyo District Court also fined Takefuji ¥1 million for violating the Telecommunications Business Law in the wiretapping.

Takei, 74, pleaded guilty to ordering a subordinate between December 2000 and February 2001 to bug the phones of two free-lance journalists who had written articles criticizing the major consumer loan firm.

His arrest last December marked the end of a success story for Takei who had set up a small loan shop with funds from selling rice on the black market and oversaw its development into a major company.

With a nationwide network of about 1,900 outlets, its group net profit totaled 2¥9.93 billion in the six months to September.

The Japan Times Weekly: Nov. 27, 2004
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