Tokyo Court Convicts Former Judge Hirose Megumi of Insider Trading (9.52M Yen) and Fraud (3.5M Yen), Sentences Include Suspended Jail Time

A Tokyo court has convicted former judge Hirose Megumi of insider trading, finding her guilty of using confidential information obtained during her tenure at the Financial Services Agency. The court determined that she purchased shares of ten companies for approximately 9.52 million yen ($63,000) based on information related to tender offers. In a separate case, the Tokyo District Court also sentenced Hirose to two years and six months in prison, suspended for five years, for fraudulently claiming over 3.5 million yen ($23,000) in secretary wages. The court criticized her actions as a serious misuse of public funds, which led to her conviction for defrauding the government while serving as a lawmaker. Hirose had been elected in 2022 but resigned after just over two years in office.