Agriculture minister Hiroshi Moriyama admitted Tuesday receiving ¥200,000 in cash last year from the head of an industry body while holding a key position in the Liberal Democratic Party on negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership but before he joined the Cabinet.
Moriyama said he has returned the money.
He received it from Eizo Kuriki, head of the Japan Poultry Association, just before he left for Atlanta in September, where Japan, the United States and other nations reached agreement on the TPP free trade accord.