Deputy Minister probes bribery allegations in Japan

The decision was made following a March 24 meeting in Hanoi between Dong and representatives of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) that oversees Japanese ODA-funded projects in Vietnam.

The Japan Transportation Consultants, Inc. (JTC) is said to have offered JPY80 million in kickbacks to several Vietnamese transport officials in return for award of the Hanoi urban metro route No1 project.

The Yomiuri Shimbun daily reported last week that JTC president Tamio Kakinuma approached the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office and admitted JTC kickbacks had been paid to civil servants in Vietnam, Indonesia and Uzbekistan in return for ODA projects.

Dong is scheduled to work with the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau, Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, and the Yomiuri Shimbun daily to verify the allegations.  

Transport Minister Dinh La Thang expected Dong would obtain information and a list of Vietnamese officials who were alleged to receive the JTC money.

He stressed the need to promptly bring the case to light and duly punish those involved in the bribery scheme.

In a dispatch dated March 24, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Supreme People’s Procuracy, to work closely with relevant Japanese agencies to investigate the claims.

Four rail officials in Vietnam have been suspended pending completion of a thorough investigation into the matter.

The Ministry of Transport has also issued a stop order, halting all disbursements of Japanese ODA capital for the JTC-contracted project in Hanoi. Additionally, the signing of coming bidding packages with this contractor has been postponed.