OSAKA -- Osaka Gov. "Knock" Yokoyama formally announced here Thursday that 1.33 billion yen in taxpayers' money was misused by the prefectural government between 1994 and 1997.

He said every department was involved in the misappropriation and will be held responsible for returning the money to the municipal coffers by March 31.

Prefectural officials also said that top and senior officials, including the governor, will be punished. "I sincerely apologize that such a large amount of money was misused from the public fund," Yokoyama said. "We will reform our accounting system and educate officials to become decent public servants."