Tokyo, May 26 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo District Court on Tuesday sentenced the representative of the Japan Cosmetic Association to one year in prison for bribery linked to joint research with the University of Tokyo. Judge Hiroshi Ikegami issued the sentence with a three-year suspension, ruling that defendant Koichi Hikichi, 52, provided two former professors of the prestigious national university with lavish entertainment in exchange for favor in arranging the research. Hikichi admitted to the charges in earlier proceedings, saying that he "could not refuse in the face of absolute power," referring to Shinichi Sato, 62, former professor of the university's Graduate School of Medicine. Sato has been indicted for receiving bribes and dismissed for disciplinary reasons. The date of his first trial hearing has not been set. "The history of messages (exchanged with Sato's side) contained nothing indicating fear, and the defendant showed a proactive willingness to provide benefits, leading to their collusion," Ikegami said. He emphasized that the criminal responsibility for significantly damaging the fairness and integrity of the university's duties cannot be treated lightly. In the same case, Ayumi Yoshizaki, 47, former specially appointed associate professor at the graduate school, was also convicted of bribery. He was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years, on Friday. According to Tuesday's ruling, Hikichi spent 3.8 million yen on entertainment at high-end clubs and adult entertainment establishments for Sato and Yoshizaki between March 2023 and August 2024 in return for favors in selecting and carrying out the joint research between the university and the association. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]