Neil Heywood death: Bo Xilai ‘wished he divorced’ wife suspected of Briton’s murder, says Japanese paper

They were accompanied by two translators, including one from the national
security bureau, while two police officers stood outside the room, according
to his version.

Mr Bo did not deny reports that his wife arranged for Mr Heywood to be killed
after a bitter falling-out in a financial dispute, he said.

He also reportedly told Mr Udagawa that he wished he had divorced Mrs Gu in
2000, when the couple nearly split, but that they stayed together for
political appearances and for their son, Bo Guagua.

Mr Bo said that he had been framed by the enemies he made during his
controversial anti-corruption crackdown while he was mayor of Chongqing. He
denied that his downfall was the result of a party power struggle.

Mr Udagawa said his friendship with the couple began in 1997 when he was
working as the legal affairs adviser for a big Japanese company in China. Mr
Bo was a rising political star as mayor of Dalian at the time, and his wife
was hired as a legal consultant by the Japanese firm.

He said that the two discussed divorcing in 2000 but that he acted as a
mediator. They agreed to stay together then but became increasingly
estranged. Indeed, Miss Gu was alleged to have had an affair with Mr
Heywood, while Mr Bo was reportedly supplied with glamorous female
companions by a billionaire businessman friend.

Mr Udagawa said that China’s national security bureau asked him to assist
their investigation into the family after Mr Bo was dismissed as Chongqing
party chief.

According to Mr Udagawa, he insisted on a meeting with Mr Bo as part of the
deal and he said the authorities eventually permitted the two men to dine,
but no recording or photographs were permitted.

Mr Bo has not been seen in public or heard from since he was dismissed from
his positions in Chongqing in mid-March after the scandal over Mr Heywood’s
suspicious death erupted.

Mr Udagawa said that Mr Bo seemed tired but also mild-mannered and at peace,
even as he denied his involvement in the political and financial scandals
swirling around him.

He insisted that he had been framed because he took on powerful vested
interests in his campaign against corruption and crime in Chongqing, denying
his downfall was the result of internal struggles in the party hierarchy.

“I cracked down hard on corruption and criminal practices while I was the
party secretary of Chongqing, removing some city officials who were involved
with criminal syndicates, Mr Bo said, according to remarks quoted by Yukan
Fuji.

“Some people hated me for this. They used their remaining power to get
back at me on account of my wife. I was framed by their plot.”

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