Former Construction Minister Eiichi Nakao pleaded guilty Monday to receiving 60 million yen in bribes from Wakachiku Construction Co. in 1996 in return for helping the builder in its bids for public works.
In his first Tokyo District Court trial hearing, Nakao, 70, admitted that he received the money from Wakachiku on four occasions between June and October 1996 while he was construction minister.
He asked for leniency, claiming that he had only a vague sense he was being bribed and that he was caught up in maneuvering by behind-the-scenes fixers.