Hidetoshi Tanaka. (Kyodo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A former board chairman at one of Japan's largest universities, embroiled in a breach-of-trust case with a former board member, was indicted by Tokyo prosecutors Monday for allegedly evading about 52 million yen ($458,000) in income tax.

       Hidetoshi Tanaka, who was head of the board of Nihon University in Tokyo, is suspected of underreporting a total of around 118 million yen in income in 2018 and 2020 by excluding money derived from kickbacks from business connections, according to the indictment.

       Investigative sources have said that Tanaka has admitted to the charges of tax evasion.

       Tanaka, 75, is suspected of having received a large sum from the former university board member, Tadao Inoguchi, and Masami Yabumoto, who formerly headed a medical corporation, the sources said earlier.

       Inoguchi, 64, and Yabumoto, 61, have been indicted for breach of trust for causing a loss of around 420 million yen to the university in connection with a project to rebuild a hospital affiliated with the educational institution.

       Inoguchi and Yabumoto have admitted to paying tens of millions of yen each to Tanaka for his help with the project and as congratulations on his reappointment to the chairman post, the sources added.

       Police arrested Tanaka late last month, after which he resigned as board chairman at the university.

       The university said in a press conference earlier this month that it will permanently cut ties with Tanaka.

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