In a corruption case involving a contract for goods at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo, the Tokyo District Court ruled that the former section chief, who was accused of accepting bribes worth about 3.5 million yen from a vendor, said, ``Easily giving bribes. I received it and undermined the trust of society, ”he was sentenced to two years in prison with a suspended sentence.
Defendant Soichiro Kasai (39), who was the chief of the general affairs department at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, said that from 2019 to last year, in return for convenience in contracting goods, he was sent to sell electrical products in Chiba Prefecture. He was accused of receiving bribes worth about 3.5 million yen from the former president of the company, including cash, furniture, and entertainment for travel.
In a ruling on November 1, Mitsuo Kojima, a judge at the Tokyo District Court, pointed out that ``I received bribes 12 times, knowing that they were rewards for favorable arrangements.''
After that, he was sentenced to two years in prison and suspended for three years, saying, ``Even though there was an offer from the vendor, he easily accepted bribes and undermined the fairness of his duties as a deemed public servant and the trust of society.''
The former president of an electrical product sales company accused of bribery has been sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison and 3 years of probation.
The National Center for Global Health and Medicine commented, ``We take the ruling seriously, and we will deal with it strictly, including disciplinary action against the staff, and do our utmost to restore trust.''