Two former officials of the New Tokyo International Airport Authority received suspended prison terms Wednesday for their involvement in bid-rigging on electric transformation equipment projects at Narita airport.
The Tokyo District Court sentenced Sadao Ito, former deputy head of the engineering department of the state-run predecessor of the privatized Narita International Airport Corp., to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, while Etsushi Kyakuno, who was former electrical division chief of the engineering department, received one year in prison, also suspended for three years.
Ito, 57, and Kyakuno, 56, leaked information on maximum contract prices for the projects to sales staff at three electronics makers -- Toshiba Corp., Nissin Electric Co. and Fuji Electric Systems Co. -- prior to the bidding between July and December 2003 in order to ensure their employment at the firms after retirement, according to the court.
Judge Yutaka Inoue said such practices were conducted repeatedly within the airport authority, which "made the bidding system a mere facade and has eroded public trust."
While ruling that the defendants bear a heavy responsibility, Inoue suspended their sentences because "they had admitted to their charges and had been dismissed (by the airport authority) in disgrace."
"We solemnly accept the ruling, and apologize again," Narita International Airport said in a statement.
Three officials from the electronics makers were fined 500,000 yen each by the Tokyo Summary Court in December.
Japan has been mired in bid-rigging scandals. In January, three defense officials were arrested and charged with conspiring with manufacturers to rig bids to install air conditioning systems at defense facilities.