A former Finance Ministry official accused of giving favors to the Big Four brokerages in return for being lavishly entertained owned up to the charges Monday during his first trial hearing before the Tokyo District Court.
Toshio Miyano, 51, a former senior inspector at the ministry's Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission, told the court that "everything (in the indictment) is correct."
Miyano allegedly accepted 5.45 million yen in the form of wining and dining as well as golf outings from the four securities companies -- Nomura, Daiwa, Nikko and the now-defunct Yamaichi -- in exchange for helping them handle difficulties with clients. "I do not feel I deviated from my office, but I lacked consideration by easily receiving entertainment. I deeply regret doing what is unforgivable for a civil servant to do," Miyano said.
Miyano, who is currently suspended without pay, received the favors on 79 occasions from April 1993 to June 1996, the indictment alleged. The ministry announced Miyano's suspension following his indictment, but stopped short of dismissing him, saying it was unable to obtain sufficient testimony from him to impose disciplinary action.
Miyano served as inspector for the coordination division of the ministry's Securities Bureau before moving to the Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission in 1996.
Meanwhile, the National Personnel Authority called on central government agencies Monday to allow so-called noncareer employees to be promoted to executive positions.
Under the current personnel policy, with few exceptions, only "career" employees passing Category I entrance exams can be promoted to executive posts in central government ministries and agencies.
The authority, in its annual report for fiscal 1997, said such a change is necessary in view of a series of scandals involving high-ranking public servants. The scandals reflect "the fatigue of (personnel policy) systems," said the report, which was submitted Monday to the Diet and the Cabinet.