A former senior Finance Ministry official hinted to Yamaichi Securities Co. in January 1992 that it compensate a customer for its losses and hide the loss overseas, an in-house probe of the failed brokerage revealed April 16.
The finding contradicts recent Diet testimony by former ministry official Nobuhiko Matsuno, who was director general of the Securities Bureau at the time. Matsuno testified that he had made no suggestions to Yamaichi about how to resolve its problems with Tokyu Department Store Co.
According to the report, Atsuo Miki, then vice president of Yamaichi, visited Matsuno around Jan. 22, 1992, to discuss problems the brokerage was having with Tokyu Department Store in "tobashi" deals.