Kyodo news agency, citing an investigation by tax authorities, reported earlier that a company president, chairman and four other officials had received a total of 180 million yen ($1.7 million) over a period of seven years through 2017 from the late deputy mayor of Takahama in central Japan.

The deputy mayor had told tax authorities he provided the money to the officials as a token of appreciation for supporting the town, whose economy relies heavily on the plant, Kyodo reported.

A Kansai Electric spokesman said the Japanese company is looking into the report, and that President Shigeki Iwane will offer details at the news conference.

(Reporting by Chris Gallagher and Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Christopher Cushing)