(REUTERS)
GV ZOOM in Japanese parliament building
GV AND SV socialist demonstrators with leader shouting through loudhailer (2 shots)
SV Police watching and vehicle outside PAN to demonstrators.
Background: Three top Japanese businessmen vehemently denied any wrong-doing as a parliamentary inquiry into pay-offs from the United States aircraft company Lockheed began in Tokyo on Monday (16 February).
The case which has shaken Japan arose from testimony before an American senate committee that Lockheed had paid out millions of dollars to promote its sales in Japan.
During the day, Japanese socialists staged a rally outside the Lower House of Representatives where the hearing is taking place, demanding tougher government action over the scandal. Inside wealthy Japanese businessman Kanji Osano, a close friend of former Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, told the parliamentary committee he was considering suing former American Lockheed President Carl Kotchian for slander for linking his name with the scandal.
The other two men were one of the former Prime Minister's major backers Tokuji Wasaka, President of the domestic All-Nippon Airways (ANA) and ANA Vice President Naoji Watanaba. Both denied having received any pay-offs.
On Monday a right-wing nationalist group demanded that the key witness, ultra rightist Yoshio Kadama, commit ritual suicide for his "Hisgraceful" action in taking money from the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. Kadama has been summoned to appear before the committee on Tuesday.