Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Nov. 25 he is considering filing a criminal complaint against defense trader Yamada Corp. for padding bills for equipment supplied to the Maritime Self-Defense Force.

"It's fraud rather than padding, as written estimates have been forged to try to defraud the entire Defense Ministry," Ishiba said on a TV Asahi talk show. "If the facts are confirmed, we should file a complaint."

The ministry decided Nov. 22 to suspend transactions with Yamada and its U.S. subsidiary, Yamada International Corp., for padding bills for at least two contracts in fiscal 2003 and 2004.