TOKYO —

The Supreme Court has decided to reject an appeal by a Foreign Ministry official who was found guilty of misusing state funds and interfering in bidding for an aid project for Russia under the influence of House of Representatives member Muneo Suzuki, court sources said Wednesday. As the top court’s third petty bench turned down the appeal on Tuesday, the guilty verdict for diplomat Masaru Sato, 49, now stands, they said. Sato, also known as a best-selling writer, was one of 11 people close to Suzuki who were indicted over their implication in cases linked to the outspoken lawmaker.
   
Sato was sentenced by the Tokyo District Court in February 2005 to 30 months in prison, suspended for four years, which was upheld by the Tokyo High Court in January 2007. Suzuki, who has been heavily involved in Japan’s diplomacy over Russian-held isles off Hokkaido, was given a two-year jail term by the district and high courts over taking bribes. He has appealed to the top court. Sato said he ‘‘feels sorry’’ that the courts rejected his claim of not committing any wrongdoing and accused prosecutors of ‘‘abusing state authority’’ in criminally charging him and Suzuki. Sato, who had been an intelligence analyst and a Russian affairs expert at the ministry, led a now-defunct international aid institution to illegally disburse 33 million yen for purposes other than the original intent between March and June 2000, according to the lower court rulings. The aid institution, the Cooperation Committee, was set up with Japanese funds with the initial purpose of helping Russia and former Soviet republics. But Sato used the money to finance projects involving academics related to Israel, the rulings said. The lower courts determined that the misappropriation was implemented in consideration of Suzuki’s intention. Sato is now suspended from the ministry and will lose his job eventually. Sato also interfered with the committee’s bidding for a power generation facility project on disputed Kunashiri Island off Hokkaido, leaking bidding information to Mitsui & Co. in 2000, thereby allowing the trading house to win a contract for the project, the lower courts said. Defense lawyers for Sato had argued that the funds disbursement was appropriate as the Foreign Ministry officially approved it. They had also denied that Sato was involved in illicit conduct related to the bidding. The committee mainly handled projects to help Russian-administered islands off Hokkaido claimed by Japan—Kunashiri, Shikotan and Etorofu islands and the Habomai islet group.
    Following the top court move, Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Kazuo Kodama told reporters Wednesday that the ministry ‘‘takes seriously’’ the decision and ‘‘will strive to strengthen discipline.’’

Kyodo

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