Land minister Nobuteru Ishihara officially sacked Japan Highway Public Corp. President Haruho Fujii on Friday, calling him an obstacle to the government's plan to privatize the debt-strapped entity by 2005.
The dismissal notice came just one week after a nine-hour hearing Oct. 17 to let Fujii state his case, in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Law. Ministry officials delivered it to Fujii shortly before noon.
Fujii's lawyers vowed later in the day that they will take legal action in a bid to nullify the dismissal.