Lawmaker Muneo Suzuki in 1998 received around 5 million yen from executives of a Hokkaido logging firm who were apparently enlisting his help after the company was caught cutting down trees in a national forest without permission, sources close to the case said Monday.
Suzuki, 54, received the money directly from Yamarin in August 1998 shortly after he became deputy chief Cabinet secretary.
Suzuki said he returned the 5 million yen later the same year.