The Cabinet gave the green light Friday for the Diet to receive Finance Ministry documents relating to ministry inspections of four banks that are named in a bribery scandal involving ministry banking inspectors.
The reports, regarding the ministry's three most recent inspections of Asahi Bank, Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, Sanwa Bank and Hokkaido Takushoku Bank, are ready to be brought before the Lower House Finance Committee on Tuesday.
Lawmakers will be allowed to view the papers during the committee session without taking notes, and will be given abridged versions of the documents.
The three banks were raided in connection with a scandal, in which major banks allegedly wined and dined two former Finance Ministry inspectors in return for information regarding ministry inspections, which are generally conducted once every two or three years.
Cabinet approval was required for the release of the documents because civil servants are bound by law to keep secret any information obtained through work.
Upon authorizing the Diet viewing, the Cabinet called for "sufficient consideration" to prevent any damage to the banks' clients, according to Finance Minister Hikaru Matsunaga.