By Stanley White
TOKYO, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Japanese shares fell on Friday by
the most in almost five weeks due to worries about corporate
governance after a media report that executives from Kansai
Electric Power Co Inc 9503.T received payments from a former
official of a town that hosts one of the utility's nuclear power
plants. Shares in Apple Inc AAPL.O supplier Japan Display Inc
6740.T tumbled by the most in three months after an
influential Chinese investor withdrew from a financial bailout
of the troubled smartphone screen maker, increasing the chance
of the 80 billion yen ($742.46 million) deal collapsing.
At 0155 GMT the Nikkei index was down 1.34% at 21,752.13.
Kansai Electric's President Shigeki Iwane told reporters on
Friday that he and some other executives had received 320
million yen payments from a person outside the company over a
period of seven years.
The deputy mayor of the town hosting the nuclear power plant
had told tax authorities he provided the money to Kansai
Electric officials as a token of appreciation for supporting the
town, Kyodo reported.
Iwane told reporters he and other officials were punished
internally, but the payments raise questions about how Kansai
Electric's internal controls allowed the officials to receive
the money in the first place.
Nikkei shares were on course for a 1.50% decline this week,
which would be the biggest weekly decline since Aug. 9, as
sentiment for stocks weakened globally due to concerns about an
impeachment probe of U.S. President Donald Trump. There were 202 decliners on the Nikkei index against 20
advancers on Friday.
The largest percentage losses in the index were Kansai
Electric down 7.43%, followed by Chiba Bank Ltd 8331.T losing
5.44% and NTN Corp 6472.T down by 5.26%.
The largest percentage gainers in the index were Fanuc Corp
6954.T up 1.18%, followed by Rakuten Inc 4755.T gaining
0.84% and DeNA Co Ltd 2432.T up by 0.69%.
The broader Topix .TOPX was down 1.60% at 1,597.37.
The volume of shares traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's
main board .TOPX was 0.49 billion, compared to the average of
1.16 billion yen in the past 30 days.
($1 = 107.7500 yen)
Apple supplier Japan Display loses out on Chinese funds, bailout
at risk Kansai Electric to hold news conference on reports of
payments report complains of White House cover-up on
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