Akira Amari's aides were given ¥8 million more than what the former economy minister admitted to when he announced his shock resignation from Cabinet last week, an employee of the construction firm at the center of the graft allegations has claimed.
Takeshi Isshiki, 62, said Wednesday he gave Amari's aides the sum on top of the ¥6 million Amari claimed they had received from the Shiroi, Chiba Prefecture-based company.
He said more than 50 cash payments of ¥150,000 to ¥200,000 were made as "gratuities and expenses for mediation to gain an advantage in compensation talks with the Urban Renaissance Agency" over a conflict involving a housing development project.