31.   A widening payoff scandal in Japan also continued to discourage many investors ahead of the weekend, traders said.

32.   Brokerage shares ended lower Wednesday but the broader Tokyo market shook off an early decline brought on by worries about a widening payoff scandal at Japanese securities companies.

33.   Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, Daiwa Securities and Nomura Securities also face charges in the racketeer payoff scandal.

34.   Current president Kenji Tanaka, a former executive of Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of involvement in a payoff scandal at the bank.

35.   Executives from both Nomura and Dai-Ichi are facing charges in the payoff scandals.

36.   Executives from both Nomura and Dai-Ichi face charges in the payoff scandals.

37.   Ex-Nomura president arrested in connection with payoff scandal Eds.

38.   Executives of several other major companies, including Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank and Nomura Securities Co., have been arrested in a separate sokaiya payoff scandal.

39.   Executives of Yamaichi step down in payoff scandal.

40.   Five executives arrested in payoff scandal.