Former judge charged with insider trading in Tokyo

A former judge has admitted to insider trading in a Tokyo court. Soichiro Sato, 32, used confidential information from his time at the Financial Services Agency (FSA) to buy shares in several companies. During the trial, prosecutors requested a two-year prison sentence and a total fine of ¥11.2 million, which is about $74,000. Sato's defense team asked for a suspended sentence instead. Sato reportedly bought shares in ten companies from April to September of last year. He spent around ¥9.52 million on these shares, using information he gained at the FSA that was not available to the public. The trial ended on the same day, and the court will announce its verdict on March 26.