The Osaka District Court on Tuesday acquitted a senior member of the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest underworld syndicate, of conspiring to possess guns and ammunition -- contraband his bodyguards were found to be carrying.

Presiding Judge Kazuo Mizushima dismissed prosecutors' claim that Takashi Takizawa, 66, head of Horyo-kai, knew his bodyguards possessed two handguns and 20 bullets at an Osaka hotel on Sept. 20, 1997.

Prosecutors had demanded a 10-year prison term. Takizawa had pleaded not guilty, claiming he had no knowledge that his underlings were carrying loaded firearms.

The prosecutors said that although Takizawa did not have the guns or ammunition on his person, he conspired with his underlings in the illegal possession of firearms.