Securities house exec involved in Livedoor deals dead

An executive of a Tokyo-based securities house, which was involved in corporate takeover deals by Japanese Internet firm Livedoor Co., was found dead on Wednesday night, Kyodo News reported Thursday.

Police suspected that Hideaki Noguchi, the vice president of H. S. Securities Co. committed suicide, Kyodo News said, adding that he was found dead in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture.

H.S. Securities was one of the companies raided by prosecutors in connection with investigations into alleged fraudulent practices by Livedoor and its group companies, the Kyodo News said.

Reports as to Livedoor's wrongdoing kept coming up. On Wednesday, the Tokyo Stock Exchange suspended trading of all listed shares 20 minutes earlier than usual due to flooding orders from investors triggered by the Livedoor incident.

Source: Xinhua