Prosecutors appeal dam bribery ruling

Prosecutors on Monday appealed a high court ruling that commuted suspended prison terms for former Fukushima Gov. Eisaku Sato and his brother Yuji over bribery in a dam construction project in 2002.

On Oct. 14, the Tokyo High Court ruled that some of the benefits the defendants received were not bribes and reduced the former governor's sentence from three to two years and his brother's from 30 to 18 months, suspending both for four years rather than five.

Sato, 70, and his 66-year-old brother, who ran an apparel company, had already appealed the ruling Friday at the Supreme Court, accusing prosecutors of making "fictitious accusations" against them.

The two sold land belonging to the apparel firm to a subcontractor in 2002 for ¥70 million above the market price. The deal was a reward for them helping a consortium that won an order for the dam project.