Two former senior officials of the Liberal Democratic Party's prefectural chapter in Nagasaki pleaded guilty Wednesday to illegally demanding political donations for last year's gubernatorial election.
Goro Asada, 65, who was secretary general of the chapter, and Jitsuo Yasuda, 65, who headed its secretariat, admitted to the charges against them as their trial opened at the Nagasaki District Court.
Asada and Yasuda are accused of asking the Nagasaki branch of an association of construction firms in November 2001 to contribute 50 million yen toward the February 2002 election.
They also allegedly asked for donations in November and December 2001 from eight construction firms, including Tokyo-based Wakachiku Construction Co., which had public works contracts with the Nagasaki Prefectural Government.