Assn Head Guilty of Bribing Ex-Univ. of Tokyo Researchers

Tokyo, May 26 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo District Court on Tuesday sentenced the representative of the Japan Cosmetic Association to one year in prison for bribery linked to joint research with the University of Tokyo.

Judge Hiroshi Ikegami issued the sentence with a three-year suspension, ruling that defendant Koichi Hikichi, 52, provided two former professors of the prestigious national university with lavish entertainment in exchange for favor in arranging the research.

Hikichi admitted to the charges in earlier proceedings, saying that he "could not refuse in the face of absolute power," referring to Shinichi Sato, 62, former professor of the university's Graduate School of Medicine.

Sato has been indicted for receiving bribes and dismissed for disciplinary reasons. The date of his first trial hearing has not been set.

"The history of messages (exchanged with Sato's side) contained nothing indicating fear, and the defendant showed a proactive willingness to provide benefits, leading to their collusion," Ikegami said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]