WORLD : Ex-Minister in Japan Charged
Prosecutors formally charged a former Cabinet minister with fraud today in the latest scandal to hit Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic party.
Former Environment Minister Toshiyuki Inamura was charged with evading tax totaling $12.5 million on profits he made in association with Mitsuhiro Kotani, a flamboyant speculator and corporate raider arrested in June and accused of manipulating stock prices.
Chief Prosecutor Yusuke Yoshinaga said Inamura made as much as $20 million in stock deals between 1986 and 1988.
Inamura, who served in former Premier Yasuhiro Nakasone’s Cabinet in 1986-87, resigned his party membership Wednesday. Nakasone resigned from the LDP last year for his involvement in the Recruit influence-peddling scandal.
Inamura is expected to retain his parliamentary seat, as did Nakasone and his right-hand man, Takao Fujinami. Fujinami is the only LDP member to be charged in the Recruit scandal.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
