Public broadcaster NHK showed investigators streaming into the ministry offices to search for evidence in the scandal, which centers on allegations that defense officials were bribed by contractors, including one linked to General Electric.

A ministry official confirmed the raid on condition of anonymity, citing policy. The official refused to disclose details of the search.

Former Vice Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya, 63, who was so influential he was called the defense “emperor,” was arrested on Wednesday in the scandal, which has paralyzed the two-month-old government of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.

“What a shameful story this is, for things to have turned out like this,” Fukuda told reporters. “We need to completely find out everything that happened in order to prevent this kind of scandal from recurring.”

“I think this is an extremely unfortunate and serious situation,” Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba said. “We will review everything thoroughly once more.”

The opposition bloc, which took control of the upper house in July elections, has used the scandal to slow progress on Fukuda-backed legislation to renew the country’s naval anti-terrorism mission in the Indian Ocean.

The current finance minister, Fukushiro Nukaga, who twice served as defense minister, has also been implicated in the scandal, though both he and Moriya have denied accepting bribes.

Moriya faces allegations that he gave favorable treatment in granting contracts to two defense trading companies led by Motonobu Miyazaki, who was charged Wednesday with embezzlement in a related scandal. Prosecutors said Miyazaki was also being investigated for alleged bribery.

Moriya is suspected of accepting a dozen free golf trips worth about 3.9 million yen (US$35,850; euro24,100) from 2003 to 2006, knowing that favors were expected in return, the Tokyo District Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.

Moriya’s wife, Sachiko, was also arrested on suspicion of bribery in connection with five free golf games and other hospitality, the prosecutor’s statement said.

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