Vietnam suspends officials involved in Japan’s Tenma bribery allegations

The move was made following a request by Finance Minister Dinh Tien Dung to the General Department of Taxation and the General Customs Department after Japanese media reported a Tenma plastic company bribed Vietnamese officials $215,000, VnExpress says.

Director of Bac Ninh's Customs Department and deputy director of the province's Tax Department are among the suspended officials.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked relevant agencies to launch an investigation in order to clarify the bribery allegations.

In light of the seriousness of the case, PM Phuc asked for punishments to be handed out if any wrongdoing is discovered in an attempt to create an equal and transparent business and investment environment and avoid tax evasion.

Tenma Vietnam, a Japanese plastic firm, a subsidiary of the Tenma parent company in Tokyo, has been in operation in Bac Ninh province since 2007.

The firm was alleged to have paid Vietnamese tax and customs officials a total of 25 million Japanese Yen, the equivalent of over VND5 billion or $215,000, in bribes in both 2017 and 2019 as a means of avoiding tax payments. 

The scandal comes after several Japanese newspapers, including Asahi and Nikkei, previously reported that Tenma representatives had confessed to the act of bribery to Japanese prosecutors in Tokyo.

To Lam, Vietnamese Minister of Public Security confirmed on May 26 that Vietnam “is co-operating with Japan” to investigate the bribery scandal.

► Japanese Tenma under investigation in Vietnam for alleged $215,000 bribery

Source: VGP, VnExpress, VOV