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Ex-KEPCO bosses accused in ¥370 million bribery scandal

A high-stakes trial involving former executives of KEPCO who allegedly pocketed massive amounts of cash, gold, and gifts concluded on Thursday

Tokyo Reporter2026-09-10 18:13查看原文 ↗

OSKAKA (TR) – A high-stakes trial involving former executives of Kansai Electric Power Co. ( KEPCO ) who allegedly pocketed massive amounts of cash, gold, and gifts concluded on Thursday.

During the proceedings, the defense claimed the defendants only accepted the bribes to ensure the survival of the company’s nuclear plants, reports Mainichi Broadcasting System (Sep. 10).

For decades dating back to the 1980s, KEPCO executives were showered with illicit gifts, including gold cups, wads of US dollar bills, and traditional Japanese gold coins known as koban .

Takahama Nuclear Power Plant

The bribes, totaling an estimated 370 million yen in value, were handed over by the late Eiji Moriyama, the former deputy mayor of the town of Takahama in Fukui Prefecture, which hosts the Takahama Nuclear Power Plant.

In exchange, the executives allegedly provided preferential treatment, funneling lucrative nuclear-related construction contracts to companies tied to Moriyama.

The deeply rooted collusion was finally exposed in 2019 when the Kanazawa Regional Taxation Bureau launched an investigation into a local construction firm. The ensuing scandal forced KEPCO’s top brass to resign in disgrace, leading the company and its shareholders to file a lawsuit seeking damages for the severe blow to the utility’s credibility.

Offer they couldn’t refuse

During the trial, the disgraced former management presented a dubious defense, arguing they were merely “holding onto” the valuables because they were unable to refuse Moriyama.

One former Takahama plant manager recalled being handed the loot directly over 20 years ago. “I received a suit once… and also koban,” he told reporters. “Two pieces. They were shaped like koban.”

Former KEPCO President Shigeki Iwane claimed the executives were terrified of angering the influential town official. In 2019, Iwane stated, “We were frightened by the ‘shadow’ of Moriyama that had persisted from the past.”

During witness questioning in May, Iwane justified keeping the bribes a secret by citing the company’s financial crisis following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. “KEPCO was in a life-or-death situation, and the only way to resolve it was the early restart of the nuclear plants,” Iwane said, claiming they had to avoid souring their relationship with Moriyama at all costs.

It was also revealed that the former management never reported the cash and gifts to the board of directors. Former Chairman Makoto Yagi testified in May that the board of auditors had decided the matter “did not fall under the obligation to report.”

Shareholders scoffed at the defense, pointing out that some of the gold and gifts were cashed in and only returned en masse after the tax probe began. They argue this proves the executives outright accepted the bribes rather than safely storing them, and that failing to report the matter to the board was a deliberate cover-up.

With all hearings now concluded, a verdict is scheduled to be handed down on March 3 of next year.

Published in Crime , News and Osaka

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大阪（TR）——一起涉及关西电力公司（KEPCO）前高管的高风险审判于周四结束，这些高管被指控私吞了大量现金、黄金和礼物。

据《每日放送》9月10日报道，在庭审过程中，辩方声称被告接受贿赂只是为了确保公司核电站的生存。

从 20 世纪 80 年代开始的几十年里，韩国电力公司 (KEPCO) 的高管们收到了大量非法礼物，包括金杯、成捆的美元钞票和被称为小判的传统日本金币。

高滨核电站

据估计，这些贿赂总额达 3.7 亿日元，是由已故的森山英二（Eiji Moriyama）交付的，他是福井县高滨市的前副市长，高滨市是高滨核电站的所在地。

作为交换，这些高管据称给予了特殊待遇，将利润丰厚的核能相关建设合同输送给与森山有关联的公司。

根深蒂固的串通舞弊行为最终在2019年被揭露，当时金泽地方税务局对一家当地建筑公司展开调查。随之而来的丑闻迫使韩国电力公司（KEPCO）高层黯然辞职，该公司及其股东提起诉讼，要求赔偿公司信誉遭受的严重打击。

他们无法拒绝的提议

在审判期间，声名狼藉的前管理层提出了一个可疑的辩护，辩称他们只是“扣留”了这些贵重物品，因为他们无法拒绝森山。

一位前高滨工厂经理回忆说，20多年前他曾直接收到赃物。“我收到过一套西装……还有一块小判，”他告诉记者。“两件。它们的形状像小判。”

前韩国电力公司总裁岩根茂树声称，公司高管们害怕得罪这位颇具影响力的镇官员。2019年，岩根表示：“我们害怕森山先生的‘阴影’，它一直延续至今。”

在五月份的证人质询中，岩根以2011年东日本大地震后公司面临财务危机为由，为隐瞒贿赂一事辩解。“韩国电力公司当时处境危急，唯一的解决办法就是尽早重启核电站，”岩根说道，并声称他们必须不惜一切代价避免与森山的关系恶化。