A former secretary of Liberal Democratic Party heavyweight Hidenao Nakagawa asked the Nagoya Stock Exchange in September 2005 to list a condominium sales company, sources said Thursday, noting the aide was axed last February over the inappropriateness of the overture.

Nakagawa's office said the former secretary met executives of the bourse without notifying the lawmaker.

The office said it dismissed the secretary, whose name was not revealed, in February, considering it would be "regrettable" if the aide's request is "misunderstood as pressure" on the stock exchange.

In the 30-minute meeting with four executives of the bourse, including President Noboru Kuroyanagi and its vice president, the sources said the former secretary requested a listing on its market for startups for ABC Home.

During the meeting, the secretary allegedly said, "(The company) wants to be listed so please" do the firm a favor.

The stock exchange said the executives met the former secretary and Daisuke Shiota, former chairman of the firm in question, because they felt they could not refuse the meeting, but rejected the request because the company did not meet the market's listing requirements, they said.

"Even if it's a request from Mr. Nakagawa, a no is a no," Kuroyanagi was quoted as telling the secretary.

The firm's former chairman, Daisuke Shiota, 40, was recently arrested on suspicion of corporate tax law violation.