This image taken from Nihon University's website shows board chairman Hidetoshi Tanaka.

       TOKYO -- Hidetoshi Tanaka, the 74-year-old chairman of the board at Nihon University who was arrested by the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office's special investigation unit on suspicion of violating the Income Tax Act by underreporting his income, told the university on the morning of Dec. 1 that he intends to resign, it has been learned.

       According to sources close to the matter, an urgent board meeting was scheduled for the afternoon on that day, and discussions on the fate of his career may be held. Tanaka, a graduate of Nihon University College of Economics, became chairman of the board in 2008, and is currently in his fifth term. The 74-year-old was arrested on Nov. 29 for alleged tax evasion totaling some 53 million yen (about $467,000) for income tax in 2018 and 2020.

       Tanaka has not appeared in public, nor has he held a press conference to provide explanations on the issue since a breach of trust case involving a former Nihon University board member in connection with a project to rebuild Nihon University Itabashi Hospital surfaced in September.

       On Nov. 24, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Shinsuke Suematsu directly instructed the university's leadership including board members to swiftly fulfill its responsibility to explain the situation.

       Font Size S M L Print Timeline 0