The Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office has arrested the manager of an art gallery on suspicion of taking 10 million yen in bribes from Wakachiku Construction Co. in August 1996 in collusion with former Construction Minister Eiichi Nakao.

Kunio Fukumoto, the 73-year-old manager of Fuji International Art in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, was arrested Friday. Investigative sources said Saturday that Fukumoto tutored Wakachiku's former chairman, Hiroshi Ishibashi, on "the proper manner" in which to deal with politicians, including how to lobby them and provide them with funds.

Fukumoto is suspected of accepting the money from Wakachiku in exchange for acting as a middleman to help the firm become a government-designated bidder for public works projects.

Nakao himself was arrested June 30 and indicted Friday on charges of receiving 30 million yen in bribes from Wakachiku in October 1996. Investigators believe the former Liberal Democratic Party Diet member received around 80 million yen from the construction firm.

Sources said investigators were delving into the details of Fukumoto's suspected connection with the alleged bribes. Fukumoto's gallery and other sites were searched Friday.

Fukumoto also served as an executive in a foundation established by Nakao and as a manager in Sanpokai, a private organization consisting of politicians and business leaders.

The gallery manager is believed to have many political and business connections and is close to Heo Young Joong, the 53-year-old Osaka real-estate developer currently on trial on charges of conspiring to financially damage the defunct trading house Itoman.

Fukumoto has headed political support groups for several politicians who have served as prime minister, sources said.

Investigators believe that Heo, whose financial standing was shaky after the collapse of the bubble economy in the late 1980s, used Fukumoto's political ties to extract money from Ishibashi, sources close to the case said.

In return, Fukumoto believed he could utilize Heo's influence in Japan's underworld, the sources added.

In August 1996, Fukumoto reportedly asked Ishibashi to contribute to Nakao's campaign for the House of Representatives general election held in October that year.

Fukumoto also helped pay for a send-off and welcoming party for incoming and outgoing vice construction ministers at a restaurant in Tokyo with Ishibashi, Nakao and Haruho Fujii, president of Japan Highway Public Corp., the sources said.