Public Security, Finance Ministries clarify Tenma bribery case

VGP – The Ministry of Public Security has directed its agencies to contact and require the Japanese side to collect and provide more information about the Tenma bribery case.

June 03, 2020 10:35 AM GMT+7

Head of the Ministry of Public Security’s Office To An Xo at at the regular press conference of the Government Office, June 2, 2020 - Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu

Head of the Ministry of Public Security’s Office To An Xo made that statement on June 2 at the regular press conference of the Government Office when asked about recent developments in the investigation of Tenma bribery case.

Xo asserted that the Prime Minister has guided the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Public Security to resolutely clarify the case.

Leaders of the Ministry of Public Security have requested police force in the northern province of Bac Ninh to carry out measures to identify the case and work with Tenma company to collect documents.

Also at the event, Deputy Minister of Finance Vu Thi Mai affirmed that the ministry has inspected the departments of finance and customs in Bac Ninh Province, the two agencies directly relevant to the case.

The inspection works include issues related to tax and customs on enterprises, she said, adding that as many as 11 public servants have been suspended works, including five at the General Department of Taxation and six at the General Department of Customs.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc tasked competent authorities to promptly verify reports that Japanese company Tenma bribed Vietnamese officials ¥25 million to minimize tax payments.

If the reports are true, these officials must be fined in a bid to create a transparent and fair business environment and to prevent tax losses, the Government chief ordered.

The case came into the spotlight when Japanese media including Asahi Shimbun newspaper, Kyodo news agency and Nikkei, reported that Tenma Viet Nam gave the bribe to Vietnamese customs officials.

According to Asahi Shimbun, the Tokyo-based Tenma Corporation confessed the case to the Tokyo District Prosecutor. Tenma Corporation reportedly took the initiative to set up a third-party committee to investigate the violation. Bribing foreign governments is a prohibited practice in Japan.

By Thuy Dung