The former head of an Osaka-based meatpacking company pleaded guilty Friday to swindling the government out of more than 5 billion yen through a state beef-buyback plan.
"I would like to offer my apologies for causing trouble to many people by abusing the program," Mitsuru Asada, former chairman of Hannan Corp., told the Osaka District Court at the opening session of his trial.
Asada, considered the don of the meatpacking industry, admitted to conspiring with others to falsely label beef to qualify for government subsidies, which were introduced after the domestic outbreak of mad cow disease in September 2001. He also pleaded guilty to attempting to hide evidence.