3 More Japanese Brokerages Accused of Making Payoffs

Three more Japanese brokerages were accused Monday of making payoffs to a racketeer charged with blackmailing Nomura Securities Co.

The lawyer for the reputed racketeer, Ryuichi Koike, 54, said his client’s brother, Yoshinori, told him that Daiwa Securities Co., Nikko Securities Co. and Yamaichi Securities Co. had made the illegal payments. Both Koike brothers are under arrest.

Spokesmen for the three Tokyo-based securities firms declined to comment.

Prosecutors have accused Nomura of giving Koike preferential treatment and Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank Ltd. of lending him the money to buy Nomura shares.

“What we’re talking about is Japan’s largest securities companies,” said David Threadgold, financial analyst for BZW Securities (Japan) Ltd. “That is clearly not good for the market.”