Japan sought to limit fallout from a scandal over a diplomat's alleged embezzlement of public funds to finance his high living by firing him and punishing the foreign minister yesterday.
Foreign Minister Yohei Kono told a news conference that the ministry had filed a complaint with police against senior diplomat Katsutoshi Matsuo, 55.
Matsuo is suspected of stealing millions of yen, partly to buy a string of racehorses that he named after his girlfriend.
The scandal has cast a shadow over the administration of unpopular Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, already reeling from a bribery case that forced a Cabinet minister to resign in disgrace this week.
Kono, who along with 15 other top ministry officials received symbolic punishment including pay cuts and reprimands for failing to prevent the scandal, said he would voluntarily return six months worth of his salary to take responsibility.
"I apologize to the public from the bottom of my heart for betraying public confidence in the Foreign Ministry," Kono said.
The ministry's report on its internal investigation said Matsuo had stolen at least ?54 million (US$458,200) of taxpayers' money to buy four racehorses and had diverted at least ?560 million to his own bank account, of which ?310 million could not be accounted for.
The money came from "secret diplomacy funds" intended to cover expenses for overseas trips by the prime minister and other top officials as well as other activities including espionage.
Domestic media said the official had named the mares among his racehorses after a girlfriend.
Apart from the racehorses, the foreign ministry report said the rogue diplomat had bought golf club memberships and a pricey condominium in central Tokyo. But the report said it remained unclear whether he had bought them with public funds.
The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said he had let his 30-year-old girlfriend take charge of his "secret" bank account. The woman allegedly withdrew several million yen from the account for her personal use, it said.
The Yomiuri said he bought the Tokyo condominium for ?80 million (US$678,800) jointly with another girlfriend. It said he had transferred ?20 million into her bank account later.
The daily also said the diplomat gave ?20 million in consolation money to his former wife last year.
Although he said he had inherited tens of millions of yen from his parents, the Foreign Ministry said it failed to verify his argument.
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