Public prosecutors Thursday arrested a former head of the Sapporo Regional Taxation Bureau who advises a talent agency managing pop singer Namie Amuro, for allegedly evading 250 million yen in income tax.

Tsunekichi Hamada, 64, a tax accountant, is accused of concealing about 730 million yen in income over a four-year period up to 2000 in violation of the Income Tax Law.

Hamada has admitted to underreporting his income and has paid additional taxes and penalties, the sources said.