Prosecutors on Friday arrested the policy secretary of scandal-hit lawmaker Muneo Suzuki, who himself was recently arrested on suspicion of taking a bribe in 1998.
Jun Tada, 50, is suspected of being deeply involved in the case and was aware the money was a bribe, according to prosecution sources.
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office alleges Suzuki, conspiring with Tada, accepted 5 million yen from Yamarin, a logging company in Obihiro, Hokkaido, on Aug. 4, 1998, in exchange for seeking favorable treatment for the company from the Forestry Agency.