Former farm minister Takamori Yoshikawa pleaded not guilty Tuesday to receiving bribes from an egg production company while in office, in the first hearing of his trial at the Tokyo District Court.

Yoshikawa, 70, is accused of accepting a total of ¥5 million from a former representative of Akita Foods Co. between November 2018 and August 2019, when he was agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister, even though he was aware of the company head's intention to seek favors, according to the indictment.

In the hearing, the former minister admitted to receiving the cash but claimed that he had taken it as a "political donation." He stepped down as a lawmaker in December last year.