Political donations to the Liberal Democrats from a nightclub chain totalling almost £80,000 went undeclared as its councillors discussed a tower block development opposed by the firm, BBC London has learned.

The Ministry of Sound, in Elephant and Castle, south London, was fighting to prevent developer Oakmayne building a residential tower block nearby.
The club feared noise complaints from the completed tower block would eventually lead to its closure.
But none of the three Liberal Democrat politicians who rejected the application declared that the party locally had been in receipt of donations from the nightclub - £21,000 at local level and £57,300 at national level.
Technically, planning councillors do not have to declare donations to their party - even though they would have to declare attending a party at the club - because councillors are deemed not to benefit personally.
In light of the BBC investigation, lawyers for Oakmayne are writing to Southwark Council asking for the decision-making process to be re-run.
A further £1,000 was donated to Simon Hughes, the local Liberal Democrat MP.
Mr Hughes has also publically sided with the nightclub in the dispute, arguing that residential development in the area is inappropriate.
The BBC's office gave Mr Hughes' office the opportunity to comment but they declined.
The last two donations were made on 30 June, while the meeting was held in October.
On Monday permission was granted for another tower block nearby - despite objections from Ministry of Sound on the same grounds.
Again the three Liberal Democrats voted against the development, which was passed by four votes to three and the donations were not declared.
Tony Travers, a local government expert at the London School of Economics, said: "It is a very good example of something that, even though it's technically within the rules, the public might judge as not good.
"I think the public would find it odd."
He continued: "It's a significant donation for a local party.
"They would very rarely get donations of that size - donations would typically be between £50 and £500."
Government guidance reads: "If a reasonable member of the public with knowledge of all the relevant facts would think that your judgement of the public interest might be prejudiced, you have a prejudicial interest.
"You must ask yourself whether a member of the public - if he or she knew all the relevant facts - would think that your personal interest was so significant that it would be likely to prejudice your judgement."
Although the donations were properly declared to the Electoral Commission when they were received, both Oakmayne and Southwark Labour were unaware of their size until contacted by the BBC.
Southwark Labour says it is unable to comment for legal reasons.
Christopher Allen, chairman of Oakmayne Properties, said he was "very surprised" the donations were not declared.
He added: "The public rightly expects politicians of all parties to act with absolute probity, and this evidence appears to cast very serious doubts over the decision to refuse planning permission, when all the evidence supported it and the council's own planning officers had recommended it for approval."
There is nothing to suggest the Ministry of Sound deliberately set out to sway members of the committee when making the donations.
Chief executive Lohan Prescencer said: "We give money to all sorts of good causes. We've helped the Liberal Democrats locally, we've helped Simon Hughes because he's a fantastic constituency MP.
"We also supported Oona King who was a Labour candidate in her bid for the mayoral election and we've supported Conservative candidates too.
"Our political associations have absolutely nothing to do with us fighting for survival."
Asked whether the councillors should have been more forthright about the donations, he continued: "Planning committee is not a party political committee.
"They have to declare personal donations.
"It's got absolutely nothing to do with political donations."
The club is taking advice from a planning QC and hopes to overturn the planning permission for the second block.
Anood Al-Samerai, Leader of Southwark Lib Dems, said: "We do declare who gives us money.
"But I agree, I was a bit concerned because they were big donations.
"I contacted the borough solicitor in advance of the meeting. He came to me with advice that we did not have to declare it."
She added: "It would certainly be helpful if the advice [from central government on declaring donations] was clearer. I'm in favour of anything that makes politics more transparent."


Archaeologists hope to find out more about people living in Wales 1,000 years ago as they excavate an early medieval chapel on a beach.

Almost 50 skeletons dating to the 7th and 11th centuries have already been uncovered during two previous digs at St Patrick's Chapel in Pembrokeshire.
Dyfed Archaeological Trust will carry out a final excavation of the site in the dunes at Whitesands Bay, St Davids, from 9 to 27 May.
It will also be offering free tours.
Many of the skeletons found were in 'cist' graves - long graves lined with stone slabs.
Child graves were also found, decorated with layers of quartz pebbles and limpet shells.
Ken Murphy, of Dyfed Archaeological Trust, said bone preservation in the first two digs had been very good.
He also said a stone cross was found standing at the end of one of the graves - the first time in Britain that an upright stone cross had been found in association with a long cist grave.
"Bone analysis by the University of Sheffield will provide information on the diet of the people who are buried at St Patrick's Chapel, and even on where they were born," he added.
"The results of the excavation will greatly advance our knowledge of the lives and the beliefs of the people who lived in Wales over 1,000 years ago."
The chapel, from where St Patrick is said to have set sail for Ireland in the 5th century AD, was a ruin over 400 years ago.
But its location has never been forgotten and graves with human remains have regularly been exposed by storms.
The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority placed boulders against the site of the chapel to halt erosion 12 years ago, but they were washed away in the winter storms of 2014, exposing more burials.
"So we then decided to excavate the parts of the site most vulnerable to erosion and the aim of these digs is to ensure no more archaeology will be at risk for the next 50 years," added Phil Bennett, the park authority's culture and heritage manager
.


Scotland's first minister has warned David Cameron against fighting a "miserable, negative, fear-based" EU referendum campaign.

During a speech in London, Nicola Sturgeon said Mr Cameron had lost votes in the Scottish independence referendum by being negative.
She said she wanted an overwhelming vote in favour of remaining in the EU.
UKIP's Scottish MEP, David Coburn, said the SNP wanted Scottish independence while "still being ruled by Brussels".
And he said leaving the EU would bring more powers back to Scotland from Brussels.
Ms Sturgeon told an invited audience at the Resolution Foundation that she would be using the referendum campaign to make the case not just for the economic benefits of the EU, but also the social and employment rights that came from membership.
But she again re-iterated that if Scotland voted to remain in the EU on 23 June while the UK as a whole voted to leave, it could trigger demands for a second independence referendum.
Opinion polls have consistently suggested that EU membership is more popular in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK.
Ms Sturgeon's intervention came as the UK government published analysis suggesting an EU exit could lead to a "decade of uncertainty", with an impact on the economy and jobs.
In her speech, Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish government continued to believe that EU membership was in the best interests of Scotland.
She pledged to make a "positive, constructive case" for remaining in the EU, and to "campaign wholeheartedly" to achieve an "overwhelming victory, across all parts of the UK, for remaining in the European Union".
The first minister added: "It is interesting to hear many of the same arguments that we heard during the Scottish referendum repeated in the early stages of the EU referendum, albeit in different contexts.
"But I do think there are some early lessons emerging from the Scottish referendum that all of us would do well to pay heed to in the weeks and months ahead."
By Brian Taylor, BBC Scotland political editor
An intriguing argument advanced today by Nicola Sturgeon anent membership of the EU. Ms Sturgeon opened, for the avoidance of doubt, with a first principle.
She confirmed to her London audience that she remained an advocate of Scottish independence. She repeated, further, that Brexit without Scottish consent might well lead to pressure for a second independence referendum.
And so we have a constructed syllogism. Brexit - Scotland = indyref2.  Hence, Ms Sturgeon is of course a supporter of Brexit? QED? Right? Fundamentally wrong?
Indeed, Ms Sturgeon went so far as to say: "I do want Scotland to be independent but I don't want Scotland to become independent because the UK chooses to leave the European Union."
Does that mean she is firmly rejecting a possible path to independence? It can sound that way but I believe the reality is rather different.
Read more from Brian
Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish referendum had shown it was possible to create a "thriving democratic debate" by encouraging people to become "truly engaged in the issues".
But she added that one of the undoubted lessons of the Scottish experience was that a "miserable, negative, fear-based campaign" saw supporters of remaining in the UK "lose a 20-point lead".
Ms Sturgeon, who repeated the Scottish government's pledge not to share a platform with Mr Cameron during the campaign, admitted that the EU was not perfect, could often be "bureaucratic and messy" and had mishandled the Greek debt crisis.
But she said the EU's achievements in areas such as environmental protection and workers rights had left millions of people "wealthier, healthier, happier and freer".
These benefits should be "celebrated not renounced", she insisted.
Ms Sturgeon said there was "no contradiction" between believing in independence for Scotland while also supporting membership of the EU.
She added: "I do want Scotland to be independent, but I don't want Scotland to become independent because the UK chooses to leave the European Union."
David Coburn MEP, the leader of UKIP in Scotland and the party's only elected representative north of the border, said: "If the SNP wanted independence, what is independent about being ruled by Brussels?
"Eighty per cent of the laws are passed in Brussels and if we Brexit, there will be lots of powers coming back to Holyrood from Brussels. We would have more powers."
He added: "Why do the SNP not want this? Because they are a pro-Europe party and they will do anything that their Brussels masters tell them to do.
"If we leave the EU, we will get back our 200-mile limits for fishing instead of having the Spanish plundering our seas.
"We will also be able to make decisions about power to keep things like Longannet Power Station open and we will be able to ensure that we can keep our industries like steel going as we will be able to set our own tariffs once we are out of the European Union."


A Spanish couple on holiday in York have been assaulted in a racist attack by a gang of five men.

Police said the man and woman were set upon at about 03:45 BST on Sunday shortly after they left the Blue Fly Cafe Bar on New Street.
The 24-year-old man was punched and kicked for 10 minutes, suffering a broken jaw and chipped teeth.
His girlfriend, 29, was repeatedly pushed to the floor. The attack only ended when a taxi driver intervened.
PC Sophie Wilson said: "The victims are extremely grateful to the taxi driver for having the decency to stop and help when they were in a very frightening situation.
"I am appealing for the taxi driver to get in touch as soon as possible as he may have vital information about the suspects.
"This is a very disturbing incident which will quite rightly shock the local community in York and those who regard the city as a friendly and safe place to visit.
"We are providing support to the young couple from Spain who have had their stay tarnished in the most sickening and vicious way."
North Yorkshire Police said it was treating the attack as a racially-aggravated assault.
The suspects are described as white, aged between 20 and 25, with short or shaved hair.


Greggs could be forced to provide toilets in all its stores that have customer seating following a High Court ruling.

Hull City Council, which brought the action, said the chain should provide sanitary facilities if food and drink are consumed on the premises.
Newcastle City Council, Greggs' home town authority, opposed the move.
An earlier ruling in Greggs favour said outlets serving simple takeaway food did not need toilet facilities.
More on this and other local stories in Hull and East Yorkshire
Hull City Council took legal action after Newcastle City Council issued guidance relating to toilet provision in food outlets.
The guidance, approved by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills' Better Regulation Delivery Office, argued bathroom provision at food outlets should be based on a predominant trade test.
Officials said, that if "takeaway trade was predominant" food and drink would not "normally" be sold for consumption on the premises, and outlet owners should therefore not be required to provide toilet facilities.
Hull City Council said that approach could not be right, as such an interpretation gave the two Greggs' bakeries in Hull an "unlawful and unfair" commercial advantage.
In his ruling at a hearing in Leeds on Tuesday, Mr Justice Kerr said Hull council's claim was "well-founded" and the advice given by Newcastle council "flawed".
He said he would quash the Better Regulation Delivery Office's decision to approve Newcastle council's guidance.
The judge added: "It is obvious that if a person sits down in a Greggs outlet at the seats provided and proceeds to eat a pasty and a fizzy drink just purchased at the counter for that purpose, that is a normal use of the premises.
"The fact that most customers take away their purchases and those who stay do not normally stay long, does not change that."
A Department for Business, Innovation & Skills spokesman said: "We have lodged an appeal."
Responding to the latest ruling, a Greggs spokesperson said: "This is the first time the statutory Primary Authority scheme as set up in 2008 has been challenged in the courts.
"Until this matter has been finally determined by the courts it would not be appropriate for us to comment."
The firm said it expected a final decision within the next nine months.


Manchester City will play Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals.

That means City could face incoming manager Pep Guardiola in the final, after his Bayern Munich side were drawn against Atletico Madrid in the other tie.
Guardiola will replace current City boss Manuel Pellegrini in the summer.
The first leg will take place in Manchester at Etihad Stadium on 26 April, with the return leg in Spain's capital on 4 May.
"It is a difficult draw," said former Real Madrid boss Pellegrini. "It doesn't matter which team we played. The options are the same.
"I always prefer to finish at home but that is not the most important thing."
The final takes place at Milan's San Siro Stadium on 28 May.
Pellegrini was manager at Real Madrid from 2009 to 2010, during which time Cristiano Ronaldo was bought from Manchester United for £80m, while Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso were also signed.
However, the Chilean was sacked after only one season and replaced by Jose Mourinho, following early elimination from the Champions League and also missing out on the domestic championship to Barcelona.
Former Manchester United forward Ronaldo, 31, is the leading scorer in this season's Champions League with 16 goals.
He is also the competition's all-time record goalscorer, with 93 in 125 appearances, and scored a hat-trick as Real overturned a 2-0 first leg deficit against Wolfsburg in the quarter-finals.
Friday's draw means there is still the prospect of a repeat of the 2014 final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, when Real scored three times in extra-time to beat their city rivals.
Atletico reached the last four by knocking out reigning champions Barcelona in the quarter-finals.
Bayern Munich, top of the Bundesliga table, are five-time champions of Europe, their last success coming in 2013.
The draw means four Spanish clubs could contest both the Champions League and Europa League finals after Sevilla and Villarreal were kept apart in the Europa League semi-finals.
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has dismissed suggestions from the Spanish media that facing Man City represents another favourable draw for his side after they avoided Atletico and Bayern.
The 10-time European champions knocked out Italian side Roma in the last 16, before beating Wolfsburg - currently eighth in the German Bundesliga - to reach the last four.
"I don't agree that our knockout ties are always the easiest," said Zidane. "You've already seen us lose 2-0 in the first leg against Wolfsburg, so I don't want to hear this.
"Everyone we've faced so far have been strong: Roma, Wolfsburg and Manchester City.
"It will be a very difficult knockout tie. The only positive is that we play the second leg at home. I'm certain that it will be a real battle."
Bayern's former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola will try to outwit Atletico counterpart Diego Simeone when the pair meet again in the other semi-final.
The sides play at Atletico's Vicente Calderon stadium on 27 April, with the return leg at the Allianz Arena on 3 May.
"I know the Spanish league very well and I know how strong Atletico are," said Guardiola.
"They know exactly what they have to do. It's always very complicated against them. We need 90 minutes and then another 90 minutes of full concentration.
"Diego Simeone is one of the best coaches in the world. He's changed the club; Atletico have reached a new level over the last five years."
Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer added: "Atletico are monsters of passion. They are honest and authentic."


Kulsoom Nawaz, the wife of former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has been diagnosed with lymphoma.

The news emerged days after she flew to London for medical tests. Her treatment begins immediately, her daughter said.
Ms Nawaz is due to stand for election to parliament in a by-election in her husband's former seat next month.
He was forced to resign in July after the Supreme Court disqualified him from office for not disclosing assets. Mr Sharif denies wrongdoing.
The couple's daughter, Maryam, tweeted that the cancer had been found on the left side of her mother's neck.
End of Twitter post  by @MaryamNSharif
In another tweet she said doctors were hopeful of curing Ms Nawaz because the disease had been diagnosed early.
Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system. It occurs when tumours build up in tissues found in areas such as the bone marrow or lymph glands.
Earlier reports suggested Ms Nawaz had throat cancer.
Maryam Sharif is now expected to run her mother's political campaign while she undergoes treatment.
"We hope that she will recover soon enough, but it is likely that she won't be around during the days leading up to the election," senior PML-N party member Mushahidullah Khan told BBC Urdu.
Mr Sharif had to vacate his seat after becoming embroiled in the Panama papers scandal.
The papers revealed his children were linked to offshore companies that owned properties in London.
Kulsoom Nawaz's decision to stand for election was seen as a change of plan for the family, who indicated originally that Mr Sharif's younger brother would run for the seat, and then the premiership.
But instead the ruling party elected Sharif loyalist Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as prime minister.
It has been suggested he will hold office until elections next year.


An NHS trust caring for mentally ill people in Norfolk and Suffolk is to carry out an independent review of unexplained deaths.

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) has appointed Verita to examine how the deaths are dealt with.
The trust had 129 such deaths in 2014-15 - up from 61 in 2012-13.
Campaigners have welcomed the step and the first phase report is expected by the end of May.
The numbers of unexpected deaths will be compared with national rates to establish their significance.
"Any urgent concerns or emerging issues would of course, be immediately fed back to the board and actions put in place immediately," Michael Scott, chief executive of NSFT, said.
A second phase report should be ready in the summer.
"Our trust is a high reporter of unexpected deaths and serious incidents, but we are also a trust which demonstrates low levels of harm to our patients," Mr Scott said.
Verita, who were involved in the Jimmy Savile NHS abuse inquiry, will be supported by independent reviewer Colin Vose, who has worked on suicide investigation for a variety of organisations.
The figures about deaths last year were released earlier this week in response to a Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrats.
The trust was placed in special measures by the Care Quality Commission in 2015 when it was described as "not a safe... service".
Anne Humphrys, from the Campaign to Save Mental Health Services in Norfolk & Suffolk, said the review was "fantastic news".
"We've been calling for this investigation for more than two years when we became concerned about the rise in unexpected deaths," she said.


The Lib Dems are prepared to raise taxes to fund an NHS "that meets the needs of everyone", Tim Farron is to tell his party's annual conference.

In his closing speech, Mr Farron will say the NHS needs to be put on a sustainable footing to save it "lurching from crisis to crisis".
He will also call for a merger of NHS and care services to ensure people "don't slip through the net".
And on education, he is expected to pledge to abolish primary SATs.
Mr Farron will also seek to put pressure on the government to spell out "what Brexit really means" and demand a new referendum on the terms of the final deal.
Addressing party delegates in Brighton, on the final day of Lib Dem conference, Mr Farron will say more money is needed to put the health service on a sustainable footing and ensure that patients, now and in the future, can get the treatment and care "that they deserve".
"We need to face the hard truth that the NHS needs more money - a lot more money - not just to stop it lurching from crisis to crisis but so that it can meet the needs and the challenges it will face in the years ahead," Mr Farron will say.
The party has put together a panel of senior doctors and experts to examine the case for a "dedicated NHS and care tax".
Mr Farron will tell conference: "If the only way to fund a health service that meets the needs of everyone is to raise taxes, Liberal Democrats will raise taxes."
Tim Farron will seek to use his keynote conference speech to position the Lib Dems as the only alternative to the Conservatives.
The Lib Dems are celebrating a surge in people joining the party.
But that increase hides the huge task they face to rebuild their parliamentary representation at Westminster where they currently have eight MPs.
The Lib Dem leader is expected to recall his own experiences battling for a better home for his grandfather, who had Alzheimer's, and call for a merger of NHS and care services.
"We all deserve to know that, no matter what happens, we will be cared for properly and treated with dignity and respect," he will say. "It's not civilised to let people slip through the net."
He will add: "If the great Liberal William Beveridge had written his blueprint today, when people are living to the ages they are now, there is no doubt that he would have proposed a National Health and Care Service.
"So let's today decide to do what Beveridge would do. Let's create that National Health and Care Service."
On education, the Lib Dem leader will say the current system is not focused on developing young people for later life but rather "on getting them through the wrong kinds of tests".
He will say he wants schools to be places "where children are inspired to learn, not stressed out by tests".
"So I want to end the current system of SATs in primary schools that are a distraction from the real education that professional teachers want to give their children; that weigh heavy on children as young as six and add nothing to the breadth of their learning."
He will also attack the government's plans to expand grammar schools in England.
"What are we doing, in 2016, threatening to relegate 80% of our children to education's second division by returning to the 11-plus?" he will say.
Mr Farron has made calls for another EU referendum a key part of the Lib Dems' pitch, and a central theme of its conference, while insisting he respects the Brexit result.
On Monday party members endorsed a proposal for a referendum on the terms of the final Brexit deal negotiated by the government, with the option of remaining in the EU.
Mr Farron will say it is time for Theresa May to "act like a prime minister" and set out the government's plan for Brexit.
He will add: "The Liberal Democrats have a plan. We know what we want and we know where we want to take our country. When Theresa May does agree a deal with the EU, we want the people to decide.
"If we trusted the people to vote for our departure then we must trust the people to vote for our destination."
Brexit: All you need to know
UK 'may begin Brexit in early 2017'
However, former Lib Dem Business Secretary Vince Cable, who lost his seat at the 2015 general election, has said holding a second vote "raises a lot of fundamental problems".
Mr Cable, who voted against the conference motion, told a fringe meeting he understood the anger at the outcome of the Brexit vote but that it was wrong to think it could be reversed.
Mr Cable said he was "not criticising" Mr Farron, but rather he wanted to "see more emphasis on what it is we want from these negotiations rather than arguing about the tactics and the means".


Scott Sinclair says he has rediscovered his "love" of football at Celtic.

Media playback is not supported on this device
The English winger, 27, has scored 18 goals this season after frustrating spells at Aston Villa and West Brom.
"It's so difficult when you have two or three games out and then you're in for three," said Sinclair, who joined Celtic from Villa in August.
"It's stability of game time, and I've had that. You can see on the pitch that I'm happy, I'm scoring goals and we're winning games."
England Under-21 cap Sinclair, who featured for Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics, retains ambitions to be capped at senior level by his country and sees Champions League participation as key to his chances.
"My main thing was to enjoy my football and be playing every week, getting the love of the game back, which I definitely have," he said.
"I'm always going to be looking to break the 20-goal mark now.
"For the past couple of years, my form hasn't been there and I've not been playing every week. Now I can show my qualities.
"It comes down to playing every week and enjoying my football. The number one thing is having a manager who believes in you. It's great that I have a manager like that [at Celtic in Brendan Rodgers] and I can perform under him."
On his England chances, Sinclair added: "I haven't given up on it. The best opportunity for me is if I'm playing Champions League football.
"Hopefully, we qualify for the group stages and maybe one day it comes."
Celtic, who featured in this season's Champions League group stage, are one victory away from winning the Scottish Premiership.
And Sinclair believes it is only a matter of time before his club-mate Moussa Dembele, 20, receives a call-up to the France senior squad, with the under-21 cap having scored 32 goals this season.
"His time will come," Sinclair added. "He's a young, quality player.
"He has the attributes and the potential to be as good as any player I've played with. It's up to him how far he wants to take it. He looks like he wants to do well and he just needs to keep performing."


Former Partridge Family singer and actor David Cassidy has said he is suffering from dementia.

The revelation comes after performances in California in which he forgot his words and appeared physically unstable.
The 66-year-old star, a teen idol in the 1970s with hits like How Can I Be Sure?, has told People magazine that he will stop touring as a musician to focus on his health.
"I was in denial, but a part of me always knew this was coming," he said.
His mother also suffered from the disease.
"I want to focus on what I am, who I am and how I've been, without any distractions... I want to love. I want to enjoy life," he told the magazine.
Videos on social media of performances by the singer over the weekend at Agoura, west of Los Angeles, raised concerns about his health.
Cassidy, whose hits include I Think I Love You and Cherish, has struggled with drinking and financial troubles recently.
In 2015, he filed for bankruptcy. And between 2010 and 2014, he was arrested three times for drunken driving, and was ordered to rehab as part of his sentence in 2014.


A fire that led to explosions being heard across the Black Country is being treated as arson, police have confirmed.

Sixteen lorries and nine shipping containers were damaged at Majors Services Ltd, on Hickman Avenue in Wolverhampton, on Sunday.
About 50 firefighters were sent to deal with the blaze.
West Midlands Fire Service said the fire spread through vehicles parked closely together.
More on this and other stories from Birmingham and the Black Country


Three men have been treated in hospital after being assaulted by a gang armed with wheel braces and hammers in west Belfast.

It happened on the Grosvenor Road near Servia Street at about 19:30 BST on Friday.
The men were treated in hospital for head injuries which are not thought to be life threatening.
Police have appealed for anyone who witnessed the attack to contact them.


A Japanese hotel chain has come under fire for its owner's claims that a World War Two massacre in the Chinese city of Nanjing did not take place.

A book by Toshio Motoya, who owns APA Hotels, was found this week to be widely distributed in his outlets.
It has prompted a rebuke from the Chinese government as well as a boycott by Chinese hotel booking websites.
But the chain has refused to withdraw the book and Mr Motoya, an outspoken revisionist, has stood by his views.
The book is said to be available in every guest room and for sale in hotel gift shops.
What Japanese history lessons leave out
Japan's growing voices of revisionism
The Nanjing massacre, also known as the Rape of Nanjing, is a hugely sensitive issue in China and a contentious subject in Japan.
In December 1937 Japanese troops invaded the eastern city of Nanjing. China says more than 300,000 of its people were massacred - some historians have disputed the figure, while some Japanese nationalists deny any killings took place.
The dispute is one reason why Beijing continues to accuse Tokyo of failing to properly apologise or atone for its wartime past.
In China, which introduced an annual state commemoration in 2014, the massacre has become a symbol of nationalism.
The book, titled "The Real History of Japan: Theoretical Modern History II", is a compilation of Mr Motoya's columns written for the hotel's newsletter.
Mr Motoya casts doubt on historical evidence of the massacre and claims it "was fabricated by the Chinese side and did not actually happen".
In another section, he also denies that Japanese soldiers forced women to become their sex slaves.
The issue of "comfort women" is another sensitive subject in China as well as South Korea, where it currently is the  subject of a row with Japan.
China's foreign ministry has said Mr Motoya's book "once again shows that some forces in Japan are still reluctant to look squarely at history, and even try to deny and distort history".
APA, one of Japan's largest hospitality chains with more than 400 hotels, is popular with Chinese tour groups.
But Chinese and Japanese media reports said that popular Chinese hotel booking portals such as Ctrip have pulled APA's listings from their sites.
The chain said in a statement that it would not withdraw the book even though it had received "floods of opinions" and enquiries.
The book was a "fact-based true interpretation of modern history", it said.
"Although we acknowledge that historic interpretation and education vary among nations, please clearly understand that the book is not aimed to criticize any specific state or nation."
Mr Motoya told Japanese newspaper Nikkei on Wednesday that he "wrote what I believe is the truth".
The Japanese government has said both countries should look to the future "rather than paying excessive attention to our unfortunate history".
It's not clear how long the book has been available in APA hotels, but its existence was highlighted in a video posted on Chinese microblog site Weibo on Sunday by a couple who call themselves KatAndSid.
The couple, an American woman and a Chinese man studying in New York University, said they had noticed the book while staying travelling in Japan and staying in an APA hotel.
They added they wanted to raise awareness of the book so that guests, including Chinese nationals, would be better informed.
Their video has been shared more than 703,000 times.


Glamorgan will host four ICC Champions Trophy matches at the SSE Swalec Stadium in June 2017.

The games include England's group game against New Zealand and one of the semi-finals.
One fewer match than in 2013 will be staged in Cardiff because of a clash with football's Champions League final.
The European showpiece is being held at the nearby Principality Stadium on 3 June 2017.
The Oval and Edgbaston will also host games in the tournament.
Cricket's 50-overs international competition features the top eight sides in the world in the one-day format.
World T20 champions West Indies have missed out on qualification after recent poor results.
Glamorgan chief executive Hugh Morris said: "We are delighted to be welcoming some of the world's best players to the Welsh capital.
"I was with England for the last tournament here, and for teams, administrators and supporters alike the compact nature of the competition, where every match really counts, captured the imagination of thousands of supporters.
"By hosting major global events such as the ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC World Cup two years later, the eyes of the world will be on Cardiff."
The semi-final in Cardiff could see Australia play South Africa if the results were to go according to seedings.
England play New Zealand at the Welsh venue in their second group game, a repeat of  the 2013 tournament encounter which saw England win by 10 runs.
The last event also saw a dramatic tie between South Africa and West Indies, who lost a crucial wicket just before rain forced a Duckworth-Lewis calculation.
England v New Zealand, Tuesday 6 June
New Zealand v Bangladesh, Friday 9 June
Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Monday 12 June
Winner Group A v Runner-up Group B, Wed 14 June


Two men have been charged with murdering a man who was mown down in a leisure centre car park.

Seyyed Rasta Mir-Feyzi, 23, was hit by a white BMW in Great North Leisure Park in Finchley on 31 May at 20:30 BST.
He was taken to hospital by London Air Ambulance but was pronounced dead the following day.
Haaris Rama, 21 of Stainby Close, West Drayton, and Yasir Inrahim, 21 of Maddison Close, East Finchley, were due to appear at Hendon Magistrates' Court.
Mr Rama was also charged with driving whilst disqualified.
A post-mortem examination found Mr Mir-Feyzi died from a head injury.


Portugal are the new champions of Europe after beating hosts France in the final of Euro 2016.

Eder came off the bench to settle a tense match in extra time and give his country their first major international title.
BBC Sport's Chris Bevan gives his ratings from Stade de France in Paris...
The chief reason his side were still in the game long enough to snatch victory in extra time. He produced a string of superb saves, the best of which was to deny Griezmann when he adjusted his position superbly.
The young Southampton defender had the edge in his battle with Dimitri Payet down Portugal's right and was a big reason France's star-studded attack found itself in a cul-de-sac.
Strangely sloppy in possession early on but recovered his composure well after that frenetic start from the French that saw them create a flurry of chances.
Showed what a fine defender he is when he is not trying to influence referees with his play-acting. The veteran was at the heart of Portugal's latest shut-out, and seemed to enjoy every minute of it. Like his Real Madrid team-mate Ronaldo he is now champion of Europe for club and country.
Unlucky not to score when he hit the bar with a brilliant free-kick in extra time. Defended diligently, saw lots of the ball down the left and used it well.
Another rock for Portugal and helped protect his back-line superbly. His only problems really came when Moussa Sissoko picked up the ball and drove at him.
The youngest man to appear in a European Championship final at the age of 18 years and 326 days - and he was also Portugal's best outfield player. France found it virtually impossible to get past him in midfield. Bayern Munich have got themselves a frightening young talent.
Put over Portugal's best cross in normal time but another who was mostly employed to deny France time and space on the ball when they came over the halfway line.
Worked hard defensively but his chances to use the ball effectively were few and far between.
Wasted an excellent early chance but was prepared to run himself into the ground for his team, often opening up space for his team-mates.
This was meant to be his night, but it was effectively ended after seven minutes by Dimitri Payet's heavy challenge. He tried desperately to carry on but could not run, let alone produce any magic, and was carried off soon afterwards in tears. He returned, much happier, to collect the trophy and join the celebrations and no wonder - he has a first international title at last.
Given the tough task of replacing Ronaldo. Had one acrobatic effort when he came on, and worked tirelessly down the left.
Provided some fresh legs in the Portugal midfield and did not let anyone down.
The match-winner and Portugal's hero, and it was some strike that made them European champions. The former Swansea striker caused mass celebrations on the bench, and silenced Stade de France.
No chance with the winner and had little else to do. He was basically a spectator until the 80th minute when he clawed away Nani's cross and then got up to deal with Ricardo Quaresma's acrobatic follow-up, which was Portugal's first shot on target.
Had to keep his defensive discipline because of Portugal's threat on the counter-attack, but got forward too to deliver some dangerous crosses.
Had little in the way of defending to do but organised the France back-line and was on his toes to step in and dispossess Nani and end a dangerous looking break late in normal time. Gave Eder space to shoot from distance but the goal was down to the quality of the finish.
On the losing side despite another accomplished display that belied his lack of experience at this level. Dealt with the few crosses that Portugal did produce.
Covered a lot of ground down the left but did not make the most of some good positions when he got forward.
Solid, rather than spectacular - he did not take the game by the scruff of the neck in the way a £100m-rated player might. He got in and around the Portugal area early on as part of France's whirlwind start that saw them create a flurry of chances, but after that he was largely content to sit back and direct play rather than try to get forward and make it happen himself.
Along with Pogba, he helped France control possession from deep positions but was never going to be the man to open up the well-drilled Portugal defence.
An all-action display, and an early contender for man of the match thanks to his barnstorming runs and a couple of scorching shots that tested Rui Patricio. The Newcastle player was still France's most effective attacker despite fading slightly as the game went on.
Lively down the left early on but could not make his deliveries count. Less effective as the game tightened up and lost possession more than any other France player - his most telling contribution was the tackle that ultimately brought an early end to Ronaldo's evening.
Euro 2016's top scorer could not add to his six-goal tally despite a couple of decent chances. Brought a fine early save from Rui Patricio with an improvised flying header, but was off target with a far easier chance in the air after half-time. It looked like this would be his tournament, but it was not his night.
Forced Patricio into saves with both his shots on target but they were a long way apart. Worked hard, as usual, for little reward.
Brought some much-needed energy to the France attack and set up Griezmann's second header, but even his pace and trickery could not open up Portugal.
Inches from being France's hero when he turned to shoot against the post. That was his only real sight of goal.
Brought on for a last-gasp rescue mission after Eder's goal, but barely touched the ball.


A man is in a critical condition in hospital after being hit by a bus on the Ormeau Road in south Belfast.

The collision happened shortly after 20:15 BST on Monday 8 June, near Baroda Street.
The Belfast Health Trust said the man was in a critical condition at the Royal Victoria Hospital and was being moved to intensive care.
The Ormeau Road was closed following the collision but has now reopened.


Adobe has updated its Flash software to fix a security hole, which was made public only after data was stolen from an online surveillance company.

Italian firm Hacking Team sells spying software to intelligence agencies around the world.
On Sunday, private data stolen from the company was posted online, indicating it knew about a serious flaw in Flash, but had not told Adobe.
One security blog said the bug had been "immediately weaponised" by attackers.
"This is one of the fastest documented cases of an immediate weaponisation in the wild, possibly thanks to the detailed instructions left by the Hacking Team," wrote Jerome Segura from Malwarebytes.
Details of the software flaw were among 400GB of stolen data that was posted online.
In the data, Hacking Team described the flaw as "the most beautiful Flash bug for the last four years".
Security software company Trend Micro said the flaw had been included in at least three "exploit kits" - collections of computer code and tools that can help attackers spread malicious software.
"When you know the severity of a flaw, there's a duty to disclose it to the software vendor," said Bharat Mistry, cybersecurity expert at Trend Micro.
"Maybe they saw this as an avenue they could use for their own purposes and wanted to keep it under wraps.
"But Flash has a big presence on the web. There is mass potential for this bug to be exploited by criminals."
Adobe acknowledged the bug could "cause a crash and potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system".
It said the flaw affected Flash 18.0.0.194 and earlier versions for Windows, Macintosh and Linux.
The company released an update to Flash on Wednesday and said it recommended people install it "within 72 hours".


Seventeen people have been arrested in a number of early morning drugs raids across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Officers executed 22 warrants at properties across the two counties, including two homes in Oxford and addresses in Bicester and Worminghall.
Twelve men and five women were held on suspicion of various offences, including supplying drugs.
Police said they had recovered quantities of cocaine and cannabis as well as money and a CS gas canister.
Det Supt David Poole said: "Today's arrests are the culmination of an extensive investigation by Thames Valley Police.
"We will take any action necessary to stop the supply of illegal and dangerous drugs, which cause so much harm to our communities."
The arrested men, aged between 23 and 62, and the women, aged between 28 and 51, are being held in custody.


Sean Lamont believes there is no limit to Scotland's potential and that they can be "brilliant" on their day.

The winger scored two of Scotland's six tries as they trounced Italy 48-7 in their penultimate World Cup warm-up match at Murrayfield.
"Everybody played well today, that's the difference," he told BBC Scotland.
"When the whole team plays well we're brilliant. But when one, either the front or backs, fails to function then we make it difficult for ourselves."
Scotland play France in Paris next week in their final warm-up before their opening game at the World Cup against Japan in just over three weeks and Lamont, who earned his 96th cap in the win over Italy, feels positive about Scotland's chances.
"Providing we do everything every week and nail our roles then I don't think there is a limit," he added. "And I'll stand by that.
"We've got an exciting team. Our fitness showed today. That's a good base. You want your fitness to be as good as you can.
"You can be the most skilful player in the world but if your fitness starts to drop then your skill level drops. Look, we're happy. It's not the World Cup won yet. It's just merely one step."
Vern Cotter names his final squad of 31 players on Tuesday and despite playing all three of Scotland's warm-up matches so far the 34-year-old does not want to take his place for granted.
"That's where complacency comes in," Lamont continued. "I've done as much as I can. It's what is right for Scotland. That's all I care about.
"If I'm there, I'm there. If I'm not, then the guys who get their chance have got to take it. I've done all I can."


Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook has been named the NBA's Most Valuable Player of the 2016-17 season.

The 28-year-old American became only the second player in history to average a triple-double for an entire season.
He took the award over Houston Rockets guard James Harden and San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard.
Golden State forward Draymond Green was named the best defensive player after winning the NBA title.
Westbrook has had a record-breaking season becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1962 to average a triple-double across the season.
He also set the new standard by recording 42 triple-doubles, one better than the former single-season mark set by Robertson.
And he made NBA history scoring the highest ever triple-double with 57 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists against Orlando Magic.
"It was obviously an amazing season for me but without these guys and the rest of our guys that are not here, none of this would be possible," Westbrook said.
"So this award is not for me. This is for all you guys and I am very thankful to have you guys in my corner. You guys are my brothers for life."
A triple-double means a player has recorded a double-digit number in three of five statistical categories - points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
Before the season critics had doubted whether Westbrook would continue to thrive following the departure of former MVP Kevin Durant - who left Thunder in the off-season.
Durant went on to secure his first NBA title with Golden State, but despite the loss, Westbrook-led Thunder recorded 47 wins, just eight fewer than the previous campaign.
Among the night's other recipients at the first-ever NBA Awards, Mike D'Antoni was named Coach of the Year after leading Houston to 55 wins in his first season.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon was named Rookie of the Year, while Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon earned the Sixth Man Award for his work off the bench as a substitute.


A Belfast woman who has accused the IRA of a sex abuse cover-up has won a seat in the Irish senate.

Máiría Cahill won a by-election to fill the seat left vacant after Jimmy Harte of the Labour party resigned.
Labour candidate Ms Cahill won 122 of the 188 valid votes cast by serving senators and members of parliament.
Last year, she told the BBC she had been raped by an IRA man when she was 16, with the organisation forcing her into silence to protect itself.
The man she accused of raping her was prosecuted but later acquitted of all charges against him after two separate court cases in 2014.
Earlier this year, Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service apologised to Ms Cahill after a report into how it handled her allegations found delays in her case had been "unacceptable".
Ms Cahill is a member of one of the Irish republican movement's most prominent families.
But on Thursday, ahead of the by-election, she told Irish state broadcaster RTÉ she no longer considers herself a republican.
She said she was "deeply sorry" for her involvement in the dissident group Republican Network for Unity, adding that it coincided with a vulnerable point in her life.
"I didn't think about it at the time and I've had a lot of reflection since" she said.
After her election, Ms Cahill said she would invite sex abuse organisations to the senate to discuss support for victims.
"I want to use my time [in the senate] to continue to work for victims of abuse," she said.
"That is the issue that has brought me to where I am today and it is the issue that I will continue to campaign on during my time as a senator.
"I also want to use my time to explore ways of engaging young jobseekers in this country and to help change their lives for the better."
Ms Cahill had been the favourite to win the by-election.
The other candidates who stood were Fianna Fáil's Keith Swanick, who received 38 votes, Sinead Burke of Sinn Féin, who won 18 votes, and independent candidate Gerry Beades, who received 10.


The speaker of the House of Commons is to give evidence in the trial of MP Nigel Evans, who is accused of nine sex offences against seven men.

John Bercow is a prosecution witness in the case at Preston Crown Court against the former Commons deputy speaker.
Mr Evans resigned as deputy speaker after he was charged in September.
The MP, who retained the seat of Ribble Valley for the Tories in 2010, denies one count of rape, two of indecent assault and six of sexual assault.
The 56-year-old Lancashire MP, who currently represents his constituents as an independent, is said to have carried out the attacks between 2002 and 2013.
The trial at Preston Crown Court is scheduled to last about four weeks.
Mr Bercow was among the names read out by prosecutor Mark Heywood QC.
Other witnesses named included fellow MPs Sarah Wollaston, Michael Fabricant, Patrick McLoughlin, Alexander John Randall, Conor Burns and Tom Blenkinsopp.
Former MPs Lembit Opik and Adam Pryce are also listed as witnesses for the Crown.
Addressing the jury, trial judge Mr Justice King said: "This case involves a public figure. It involves a politician. It involves Members of Parliament.
"Don't be overawed by that. Be dispassionate throughout the case.
"Try Mr Evans only on the evidence. Put out of your mind any political views or prejudice you may have. Try this case only on the evidence."
The indecent assaults are alleged to have been committed between 1 January 2002 and 1 January 2004.
The sexual assaults are alleged to have taken place between 1 January 2009 and 1 April last year, and the rape between 29 March and 1 April last year.
Mr Evans, who was born in Swansea and lives in Pendleton, Lancashire, was a Conservative MP before becoming deputy speaker in June 2010, a politically neutral role.
He has not returned to the Conservatives in the Commons and is representing his constituents as an independent.


US President-elect Donald Trump has appointed the first two women to his incoming administration.

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley was nominated as US envoy to the UN and Betsy DeVos as education secretary.
Both are former critics of Mr Trump, with Mrs Haley once saying she was "not a fan", and Mrs DeVos branding the Manhattan tycoon an "interloper".
Mr Trump's presidential primary rival Ben Carson also hinted he would soon be named for a post.
"An announcement is forthcoming about my role in helping to make America great again," Mr Carson wrote on Facebook.
Mr Trump tweeted on Tuesday that he was "seriously considering" Mr Carson for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Eye-catching though her political career has been, little is known about Nikki Haley's views on foreign affairs and the United Nations. Diplomats here have been Googling her to find out more. When her nomination was announced I was with a senior diplomat, who had expected President-elect Trump to downgrade the job of UN ambassador so that it was no longer a cabinet-level position.
He was heartened that Mr Trump had selected a "political heavyweight", and viewed it as an early indication than the incoming administration will take the UN more seriously than he'd supposed. Certainly, she's no John Bolton, the US ambassador during the Bush administration who famously remarked that it would not make much of a difference if the UN headquarters in New York lost its top 10 floors - where the organisation's most senior figures, including the secretary general, have their offices.
Many UN diplomats fear a Trump presidency and there's relief here that he hasn't appointed an outspoken UN-basher.
The appointments of Mrs Haley and Mrs DeVos will need to be approved by the Republican-controlled Senate.
Mr Trump called Mrs Haley "a proven dealmaker, and we look to be making plenty of deals".
"She will be a great leader representing us on the world stage," he added.
Mrs Haley said she was "moved" to accept the assignment and would stay on as South Carolina governor, pending her congressional confirmation.
During the Republican primaries, she supported Florida Senator Marco Rubio and then Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
Mrs Haley also strongly attacked Mr Trump's proposal to ban Muslim immigrants, describing it as "un-American".
In response, Mr Trump had called her "very weak on illegal immigration" and said people in South Carolina were "embarrassed" by her.
Mrs Haley, 44, is the first minority and female governor of South Carolina.
Nikki Haley: From Trump critic to cabinet
Can Nikki Haley master foreign policy?
Born Nimrata "Nikki" Randhawa to Indian parents, she was raised in a Sikh household and now identifies as a Christian.
Mrs Haley was praised by members of both parties in 2015 when she ordered the Confederate battle flag to be removed from the grounds of the state capitol.
Mrs DeVos said she was honoured to accept her appointment.
But the billionaire Republican donor from Michigan once described Mr Trump as an "interloper" who "does not represent the Republican Party".
Mrs DeVos also contributed to Mr Trump's rivals - Carly Fiorina, Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush - during the election race.
She previously supported the Common Core education standards that Mr Trump and many conservatives have pilloried.
Mr Trump, however, said Mrs DeVos would be "a brilliant and passionate education advocate".
Her husband is heir to the Amway fortune, with a wealth estimated by Forbes at $5.1bn (Â£4.1bn).
So far Mr Trump has appointed Jeff Sessions for Attorney General, Mike Pompeo for CIA director, Reince Priebus for Chief of Staff for his top team.
More announcements are expected after the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
The people around Donald Trump
Can Donald Trump get what he wants?
The Trump resistance movement
Can Trump outlaw gay marriage?


The former boss of Tesco has described the rise of supermarkets and closure of small shops as "part of progress".

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Sir Terry Leahy also called some High Streets "medieval", saying the way people lived their lives had changed.
Sir Terry said seeing boarded up local shops was sad, but this happened because consumers were choosing to shop at the bigger supermarkets.
The benefits of out-of-town stores outweighed the downsides, he added.
When asked if he thought it was just "tough" that a family butcher had to close because it couldn't compete with the "three-quid chicken" sold at the supermarket, he said: "Small benefits for thousands of families can be a big loss for the family of the butcher but you can never be casual about it.
"You have to ensure the better organisations come through."
Sir Terry got his first job at a Tesco in Wandsworth, London, when he was 17-years-old so he could support himself during sixth form college.
The third of four sons, he grew up in a prefab on an estate in Liverpool. His father was a greyhound trainer and his mother was a nurse.
He said he couldn't please everybody when it came to views on supermarkets over small High Street stores.
"If you talk to people, 95% of the population quite like supermarkets but 5% don't, but in Britain this (5%) is three million people so they have a right to say what they think.
"I felt very strongly inside that Tesco was doing the right thing, in terms of how it was conducting its business, how it was serving ordinary people and how it was employing ordinary people but I realised I wasn't winning the argument for some people."
Large chains
The British Independent Retailers Association said 98% of the the UK's Â£150bn grocery industry was controlled by just nine stores.
But deputy chief executive Michael Weedon claimed there could be a silver lining for smaller businesses.
He said as large chains such as HMV and Blockbuster closed, more retail premises would become available at cheaper rents.
Among the tracks Sir Terry chose to take with him to a desert island were The Beatles' I Want To Hold Your Hand, Simon & Garfunkel's Homeward Bound, Depeche Mode's Just Can't Get Enough and Pachelbel's Canon in D.
He said he would also take The Complete Works of Charles Dickens and his luxury item would be tea.
As chief executive, he made his name transforming the supermarket from a lacklustre brand into Britain's biggest retailer.
Desert Island Discs with Sir Terry Leahy was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 11:15 GMT on Sunday 3 February


Police are appealing for information after a safe containing foreign currency and jewellery was stolen from a house in Dundee.

Raiders broke into the house in Old Glamis Road between 18:55 and 19:35 on Tuesday.
A full list of the items of jewellery stolen and details of the foreign currency have not yet been released by police.
Officers have asked anyone who was in the area at the time to come forward.


Donegal manager Jim McGuinness says he 'trusts' his players to carry out his instructions against Dublin on Sunday.

McGuinness must devise a strategy to combat the all-attacking style of the defending champions in their All-Ireland semi-final in Croke Park.
In what is expected to be the most tactical game of the year, McGuinness says the game is "one hundred per cent about football players".
"We trust (players) to out and do a job," said McGuinness.
"I have been asked about our ability to hold the Dublin half forward line and how that would impact on our half back line. but we trust our half back line to go out and do a job.
"Whenever we have passed the information on that we think is really important for the game, it's up to the players to make the decisions then.
"You give that information, they'll clarify it with you, and try to execute it to the best of their ability."
McGuinness, who led Donegal to a third Ulster title in four years last month, is unconcerned about being rated as rank 8/1 outsiders on Sunday, despite his team having been All-Ireland champions two years ago.
"We were underdogs in every single game in 2012, so that doesn't make a difference.
"Our approach is the same. It doesn't matter if (bookmakers) sit at a computer and say 'that's the number'.
"No one knows what goes on in our dressing room. You just have to get things right and put faith in the players.
"You could take it personally and you could use it. But this is about football, that's all. There are a lot of things we need to get right and that's what we're focusing on."


Wales has seen a dramatic increase in the number of people diagnosed with the most serious form of skin cancer since the 1970s, a cancer charity says.

Cancer Research UK said the rates of people diagnosed with malignant melanoma had more than quadrupled in Wales over the past 40 years.
The rates equate to around 730 people developing the cancer every year.
The rise was said to be partly down to an explosion in package holidays to Europe dating from the late 1960s.
Alison Birkett, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for Wales, said: "One of the best ways people can reduce their risk of malignant melanoma is to avoid getting sunburn.
"We know that those with the highest risk of the disease include people with pale skin, lots of moles or freckles, a history of sunburn or a family history of the disease.
"Sadly more and more people in Wales are being diagnosed with malignant melanoma each year.
"But the good news is that survival is amongst the highest for any cancer. More than eight in 10 people will now survive the disease."
The charity said the latest incidence rates showed that around 18 people in every 100,000 were diagnosed with malignant melanoma in Wales every year. This is compared to just four per 100,000 in the mid 1970s.
Cancer Research said this equated to 729 cases in 2011 compared with 87 cases in 1975.
The rise is put down to the growth of package holidays over the past 40 years and the increase in the popularity of sun tans, which Cancer Research said was often achieved only after "damaging sunburn".
Malignant melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in Wales with around 120 people dying from it each year.
Cancer Research is running an advertising campaign to raise awareness of sun safety.


One of the main stories in the news at the moment is about the UK's relationship with the European Union (EU)

In June 2016 the UK had a referendum where voters decided to leave the EU. This is being referred to as "Brexit".
On Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Theresa May gave an important speech about how the UK government is going to go about that.
She said this big decision wasn't about the UK turning its back on Europe, but more about creating "a truly global Britain".
"We are always a country that has looked beyond Europe to the wider world," she said.
Newsround takes a look at the main points of her speech...
One of the main issues for the UK government and the EU is how they will do business with each other once the UK leaves the group.
At the moment, the UK is a member of the something called the "single market" - an agreement designed to make it easier for countries in the EU to buy and sell (or "trade") things to each other.
Theresa May said that, once the UK has left the EU, it will not remain a member of the single market.
Instead she wants the UK to make its very own trade deal with the EU.
"We want to buy your goods and services, and sell you ours," she said, as she believes this will benefit both the EU and the UK.
But not everyone agrees this is the right decision.
Some people say leaving the "single market" will be very bad for businesses and jobs in the UK, and some in the EU don't think that Britain should get a very good trade deal as that might encourage other countries to leave too.
Mrs May also said she wants to be able to make trade deals with other countries around the world.
"It is time for Britain to get out into the world and rediscover its role as a great, global, trading nation," she said.
The UK government believes one of the reasons that so many adults voted to leave the EU is because they want more control over who can come to live and work in the UK.
At the moment, part of the deal of being in the "single market" is that people from anywhere in the EU have the right to come to live here if they want to.
Mrs May says that must end and, by leaving the "single market", the UK will have more control over who is allowed to move to this country.
She did say she would like people from the EU currently living and working in the UK to be able to stay here, and the same for those from the UK who live in the EU.
Theresa May called on the people of the UK to unite and said that she wants to make the relationship between the four nations of the UK - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - even stronger.
She admitted that they will not always agree about everything to do with Brexit, but that she wants to work together.
However, Scotland and Northern Ireland both voted to remain in the EU, and the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that Mrs May's plans are bad for Scotland.
She said: "The UK government cannot be allowed to take us out of the EU and the single market - regardless of the impact on our economy, jobs, living standards and our reputation as an open, tolerant country - without Scotland having the ability to choose between that and a different future."
Previously, Mrs Sturgeon has said that if Scottish people feel they are losing out too much from Brexit, it could lead to a second  referendum on Scottish independence.
As well as the four nations of the UK making their relationship stronger, Theresa May talked a lot about how the UK will continue to be close friends with Europe.
She said that, even though the UK is leaving the EU, she wants to see the EU succeed.
She also said that it will be important that the UK works with the EU to tackle things like terrorism and crime.
"We are leaving the EU but we are not leaving Europe," she said. "Britain wants to be a good friend and neighbour in every way."
At the moment, leaders are having lots of discussions about what the UK's relationship will be like with the EU once it leaves.
You can find out more about what happens next with Brexit here.
Theresa May said that she will let people know what they can as details are decided, but she said that "not everybody will be able to know everything at every stage".
Once the EU and the UK government have agreed what their relationship will be in the future, she promised that Parliament would be able to vote on it.


Manchester United will play Hull in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup, while Liverpool will take on Southampton.

United, who beat West Ham 4-1 in the last eight, will play the first leg of their semi-final at Old Trafford.
Southampton, comfortable winners over Arsenal on Wednesday, will host in-form Liverpool at St Mary's before the return leg at Anfield.
The two-legged semi-final ties will be played in the weeks commencing 9 and 23 January 2017.
Liverpool, winners of the competition a record eight times and finalists in 2016, saw off Leeds on Tuesday with a 2-0 win at Anfield.
Hull, who reached the FA Cup final in 2014, needed penalties to overcome Championship leaders Newcastle on Tuesday.
United manager Jose Mourinho said his team would forget about the semi-finals until the new year.
"The two legs take a little bit of emotion out of the draw, because the situation of playing away or home doesn't exist anymore," said the Portuguese.
"I'm sure Hull have an amazing memory from Wembley and I'm sure they'll try everything to be there again.
"Manchester United were at Wembley last season. It's January so now we forget this semi-final, but hopefully we can reach the final."


David Paice believes London Irish's Championship play-off final against Yorkshire Carnegie will be "the two biggest games" of his career.

The former England hooker, 33, scored three tries to lead the Exiles to a semi-final victory against Doncaster.
Irish now need to beat Yorkshire over two legs to seal promotion and an immediate return to the Premiership.
"Playing rugby when there's something really meaningful on it really lifts us as players," Paice told BBC Sport.
The two-legged final, which starts at Headingley on 17 May, sees the top two in the regular season face each other for promotion.
Irish lost just once on their way to the top of the table, while Yorkshire will hope to give head coach Bryan Redpath the perfect send-off before he departs the club.
"We're coming up to the two biggest games of my career, the club's career and the season," Paice admitted.
"I've been lucky to play in a couple of big games, but this is right up there. We'll have to deal with the pressure we're going to face, but we're looking forward to it.
"Yorkshire, like Doncaster, are a big forward pack but have lots of threats behind the eight and a dangerous back three if you give them a lot of the ball."


The Communities Minister, Paul Givan, has announced that local councils will not get powers for regeneration in their areas.

When the number of councils in Northern Ireland was reduced from 26 to 11, responsibilities such as planning were passed to them by the government.
Mr Givan has said regeneration will remain an executive function.
Alliance leader Naomi Long criticised his decision and said it should be a local government matter.
"The truth is that they do not want to give this power to local councils and to allow them to get on with their business," she said.
Analysis BBC News NI's Political Editor Mark Devenport
Under the shake up which reduced the number of councils from 26 to 11, the councils were due to get extra responsibility for regeneration.
However, that proposal was put on hold indefinitely in November 2015, when the former minister, Mervyn Storey, decided not to press ahead with his Regeneration Bill.
The current minister, Paul Givan, now says he will not bring forward proposals to extend his department's regeneration powers to councils during this assembly term.
Last week, enhanced powers over regeneration formed a central plank of Belfast City Council's proposed new City Growth Deal.
It's thought council leaders are likely to be disappointed by the minister's decision to keep the responsibility for regeneration schemes within his own department.
"This is another example of the executive wanting to meddle in what is best done at a local level.
"It completely flies in the face of the whole point of reorganising council structures to give councils more power."
Mr Givan said he wanted regeneration to remain with the executive for the time being.
"This was a power which had been discussed in the last mandate," he said.
"There were numerous attempts to bring forward legislation and there wasn't consensus to do that and I'm clear now in this new mandate that I don't want to be involved in tinkering around who gets what, where the budget should be divided, it's about getting things done."


Parliament should debate the case for an "English national anthem" that fans can sing at sporting events like the World Cup, a Lib Dem MP has said.

Greg Mulholland said it was "frustrating" to hear fans sing God Save The Queen in South Africa as it was the anthem for the United Kingdom.
He told MPs there should be a "properly established" anthem for English teams.
For the first time, Jerusalem will be played to celebrate English winners at this year's Commonwealth Games.
The anthem was chosen for medal ceremonies at the event in Delhi - ahead of the God Save The Queen and Land of Hope and Glory - after a public vote backed by Commonwealth Games England.
Mr Mulholland raised the issue during Business Questions in Parliament, where the government sets out future business for the weeks ahead and MPs can call for debates on chosen subjects.
He has raised the issue before, claiming that English fans are at a disadvantage compared to their counterparts in Wales and Scotland.
While Wales has its own national anthem, Scottish football and rugby fans have sung the unofficial Flower of Scotland since the 1990s and this was chosen for the Scottish team at the Commonwealth Games following a similar public vote.
Mr Mulholland told MPs "it was wonderful to see the Cross of St George flying" after England's victory over Slovenia, which booked the team's place in the last 16 of the competition.
But he added: "However, it is still frustrating to see England singing the wrong anthem, the anthem of the United Kingdom.
"Following the historic decision to use Jerusalem at the Commonwealth Games, can we now have a debate about properly establishing an English national anthem for when England compete as opposed to the UK."
In response, Leader of the House of Commons Sir George Young said he had raised an "important issue".
Decisions on which anthems should be played are taken by national sporting associations.


An independent report has found that at least 1,400 children were sexually exploited in Rotherham by gangs of men who were predominantly of Pakistani origin between 1997 and 2013.

Report author Professor Alexis Jay said that girls as young as 11 were raped by "large numbers of male perpetrators".
It spoke of the "collective failures" of political, police and social care leadership over the first 12 years the inquiry covered.
These are the key developments of the past two decades.
Community workers come across examples of child sexual exploitation during this period, according to the new report. It was known that children under the care of the local authority were at risk of being targeted.
The Risky Business youth project is set up to work with people between the ages of 11 and 25 in Rotherham amid concerns about young people being abused through prostitution. By the late 1990s it starts to identify vulnerable girls and young women on the streets of the town, and refers to children's social care any young person who causes serious concerns.
A small group of professionals from key agencies meet children at risk of, or involved in, child sexual exploitation (CSE) but their work is not properly supported, according to the report. Some of those at a senior level in children's social care and in the police think youth workers are exaggerating the extent of the issue.
A chapter of a draft report into CSE in Rotherham - referred to as The Home Office Report - contains severe criticisms of agencies working to tackle such crimes. It shows there is a "high prevalence of young women being coerced and abused through prostitution".
Senior officers at the council and in the police are unhappy with The Home Office Report, with the suggestion some facts are either exaggerated or made up. The researcher writing the report does not complete her work. However the Jay report says the content which was objected to has been shown to be "largely accurate".
The Jay report states: "Had this [2002 draft] report been treated with the seriousness it merited at the time by both the police and the council, the children involved then and later would have been better protected and abusers brought to justice."
1,400
children were abused, 1997-2013
1/3 of victims were already known to social services
157 reports concerning child sexual exploitation made to police in 2013
10 prosecutions were made between 2013 and April 2014
A report by strategic drugs analyst Dr Angie Heal, commissioned by South Yorkshire Police, finds there are a "significant number of girls and some boys who are being sexually exploited" in Rotherham.
In a later report, in 2006, Dr Heal describes the situation continuing "as it has done for a number of years" with an organised and established sexual exploitation scene.
The Area Child Protection Committee approves revised procedures relating to the sexual exploitation of children.
The Sexual Exploitation Forum is set up later in 2003, holding monthly meetings to discuss cases of children who are being sexually exploited or are at risk.
Presentations on CSE are made to the council's children's executive group, the children and young people's board and the safeguarding board. An action plan is called for.
A seminar on CSE is held for all council members. A new department of children and young people's services is created with Councillor Shaun Wright appointed cabinet member for the department.
The Sexual Exploitation Forum is discussing more than 90 cases and it is decided that the number being considered should be reduced. This followed an audit of 87 CSE cases carried out by police on behalf of the forum.
An investigation into the grooming and sexual abuse of young boys identifies more than 70 alleged victims. A man is convicted of offences against 10 children.
The forum learns that Risky Business is "inundated" with referrals, all of them relating to young people under the age of 18, and some of whom are in care. Risky Business is said to be under pressure from those who referred the children.
Operation Central is set up to investigate men believed to be involved in child sexual exploitation. Funding for Risky Business is increased.
Ofsted rates Rotherham's children's services as "inadequate" as the safety of children cannot be assured.
The minister of state for young people and families serves the council with an improvement notice for its children's safeguarding services. It is lifted in January 2011.
The local Safeguarding Children Board sets up a child sexual exploitation sub group.
Five men from Rotherham's Asian community are jailed for sexual offences against teenage girls.
The Times publishes an investigation revealing that a confidential 2010 police report had warned thousands of child sexual exploitation crimes were being committed in South Yorkshire each year by networks of Asian men.
The newspaper also reports that police and child protection agencies in the town of Rotherham had extensive knowledge of such crimes for decades, yet offences went unprosecuted. South Yorkshire Police denies withholding information and says the suggestion it was reluctant to tackle child sexual abuse is wrong.
Rotherham Borough Council, South Yorkshire Police and other agencies set up a CSE team to investigate the issues raised in the report.
The police force denies it had been reluctant to tackle child sexual abuse but the Home Affairs Select Committee tells the chief constable and one of his top officers to "get a grip" on the issue.
The chief executive of the council appears before the Home Affairs Select Committee to answer questions about the lack of prosecutions, with chairman Keith Vaz saying the council had not done enough since the 2010 prosecutions.
Council chief executive Martin Kimber blames "systematic failures" as he apologises to victims and their families.
South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Shaun Wright announces three reviews of child sexual abuse in the South Yorkshire Police area.
Four women sue the council for failing to protect them when they were children.
The council announces it is commissioning an independent inquiry. It is later announced that Professor Alexis Jay will lead the inquiry team.
Professor Alexis Jay's report is published. Rotherham Borough Council leader Roger Stone steps down with immediate effect. Mr Wright says he will stay in his job as police commissioner despite calls for him to stand down.
Education Secretary Nicky Morgan announces Ofsted will carry out an early inspection of child protection services in Rotherham.
South Yorkshire Police commissions an independent investigation into its handling of the Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal. The inquiry will examine the role of both the police and council.
South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Shaun Wright is told he will have to face questions about the failings of both the police and council by a committee of MPs.
An urgent question is tabled in the House of Commons by Yvette Cooper MP - Labour's shadow home secretary - on the issue.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party suspends four of its members - including Rotherham councillors and former councillors - pending an investigation. The four people suspended are named as former leader of the council Roger Stone, ex-deputy council leader Jahangir Akhtar, Gwendoline Russell, and Shaukat Ali.
Home Secretary Theresa May announces the government is considering carrying out an inspection of Rotherham Council in the wake of the child abuse scandal.
The chief executive of Rotherham Council Martin Kimber says he will step down at the end of December.
In a statement, he said he wanted to reiterate his "sincere apology to those who were let down".
The police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire, Shaun Wright, tells the Home Affairs Select Committee he was not aware of the scale of the abuse problem in Rotherham while a Labour councillor in the town.
He tells the committee he had received a report in 2007 outlining some cases.
However, he said he "did not recall it indicating the scale of child sexual exploitation at that time".
Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles announces that Rotherham Council will face an independent inspection led by Louise Casey, the head of the Government's troubled families programme, which will examine whether the council covered up information about the abuse.
Shaun Wright resigns from his role as South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner.
Mr Wright, who was the head of children's services in Rotherham between 2005 and 2010, said he was stepping down to ensure the "important issues" outlined in the Jay Report could be discussed and considered "without distraction".
Rotherham council's director of children's services Joyce Thacker announces her resignation.
The council said Ms Thacker "is to leave... by mutual agreement, with immediate effect".
It later emerges she was paid Â£40,000 to leave in the wake of the Jay Report.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) says it is to lead an investigation into outstanding allegations of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.
The NCA said it was taking on the investigation, known as Operation Stovewood, following a request from South Yorkshire Police last month.
South Yorkshire Police says it has referred 14 members of its staff to the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), and there may be more.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) says it is to investigate 10 South Yorkshire Police officers over the handling of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.
The officers are 10 of those referred to the IPCC by the force.
Ofsted warns "widespread or serious failures" at Rotherham Council are leaving young people at risk of harm, after an inspection by the watchdog rated the authority's children's services as "inadequate".
The new report says management had not sufficiently understood the failures or been effective in making improvements.
Rotherham Council says it "fully accepted" the findings of the report.
Ian Thomas starts work as the new director of children's services at Rotherham Council.
A report by Louise Casey says Rotherham Council is "not fit for purpose" prompting Eric Pickles to announce plans to hand control of the council to a team of five commissioners.
Following the publication of the report, council leader Paul Lakin announces he will resign with immediate effect. The council's cabinet says it will stand down as soon as transitional arrangements are put in place.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) says the latest report has identified "a number of potentially criminal matters".
Files passed to the NCA relate to one former and one existing councillor arising from the inquiry, Ms Casey's spokesperson says.
Alan Billings, who was appointed as Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for South Yorkshire following Shaun Wright's resignation, says an advisory panel, including survivors and family members, is being set up to ensure police and social services are doing what they said they were.
The interim chief executive of Rotherham Council, Jan Ormondroyd, apologises for its failure to act over the scandal of child sexual exploitation in the town.
John Goldup, Ofsted's former deputy chief inspector and national director of social care, tells MPs government inspectors lacked the focus to target child abuse in Rotherham because they had a "limited" understanding of it.
Mr Goldup tells the Communities and Local Government Committee: "We did not get it right on child sexual exploitation in Rotherham... and I apologise for that."
Sir Derek Myers, Stella Manzie, Malcolm Newsam, Mary Ney and Julie Kenny are named as the five government-appointed commissioners who will take over the running of Rotherham council.
Former Rotherham Council leader Roger Stone, who stood down following the publication of the Jay Report, appears before the Communities and Local Government Committee.
Mr Stone tells MPs he rejects allegations he was a "bully" who had fostered a "macho culture" at the authority.
The following day, he says Lousie Casey's damning report into the failures of the authority felt "like a witch hunt".
The Communities and Local Government Committee publishes a report saying government inspectors failed to detect child sexual exploitation in Rotherham because they trusted council staff.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission says it is investigating complaints against 42 South Yorkshire Police officers over the handling of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.
The police watchdog reveals it has received 30 complaints, making more than 100 allegations.


Doncaster Rovers have signed Chelsea midfielder Jordan Houghton and Aston Villa defender Niall Mason on loan until January.

Both players could make their Rovers debut at Accrington on Saturday.
Mason, 19, a junior player with Real Madrid who then featured for Blackburn and Southampton youth teams, is yet to make a first-team appearance for Villa.
Houghton, 20, an academy player at Chelsea, had loan spells with Gillingham and Plymouth last term.
Meanwhile, Chelsea goalkeeper Matej Delac, 24, has joined Belgian side Royal Excel Mouscron on a season-long loan, while 19-year-old midfielder Bekanty Victorien Angban will spend the coming campaign on loan at Granada in La Liga.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


A trial of playercam in Super League is set to continue despite technical problems halting its first use between Leigh and Warrington.

Wolves' Kurt Gidley, 34, became the first rugby league player to wear a camera during Thursday's 22-8 defeat.
Television viewers were told at half-time that the device had been removed because of "technical issues".
"I don't know if it had any effect on what he did, but the camera went at half-time," said Wire coach Tony Smith.
"Kurt wanted to get on with playing footy. I don't think things were going great for Kurt at that stage. He needed to get it off and just get on with playing."
The camera, which was mounted on a vest behind a hole in Gidley's shirt, was worn to try to give viewers a unique perspective of the contact sport.
Gidley had said before kick-off that the experimental idea "painted a target" on him.
Wolves are bottom of Super League and without a win after five successive defeats, but Smith said the technology could not be used as an excuse.
"I hope they got some good footage from it," he added. "I think it was done for all the right reasons to try and give people a perspective of rugby league from a different angle."
Sky Sports, who broadcast live Super League, have said they will continue with the experiment.
"We had a few technical issues with the camera which could not be resolved in the half-time break," a spokesperson said.
"Kurt was happy to continue wearing it and it was a decision made by our production team and Warrington, not his, to take it off.
"After we have reviewed the game and the camera we will certainly look to give it another go."


The International Monetary Fund's twice-yearly look at the world economy has lowered its forecasts for most developed economies, including the UK.

The IMF said world growth would now be 3.3% for the year, down from 3.5% forecast six months ago.
For the UK, it is forecasting growth of just 0.7%, after saying in January that the country's economy could expect 1% growth.
The figure is slightly above the 0.6% growth forecast in last month's Budget.
That figure came from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility.
The IMF's World Economic Outlook report also cut its forecast for the eurozone this year to -0.3%, with Germany, the strongest economy, expected to grow by 0.6%, but France on course to shrink by 0.1%.
The IMF said the UK was "progressing slowly".
It suggested the Chancellor, George Osborne, should consider reining back his austerity plan.
By Stephanie FlandersEconomics editor
The IMF's report said: "In the United Kingdom, the recovery is progressing slowly, notably in the context of weak external demand and ongoing fiscal consolidation."
It said economic weakness and a lack of willingness to lend were holding back the private sector.
The IMF rarely gives direct advice, preferring to give discreet prompts.
It said about the UK: "Greater near-term flexibility in the path of fiscal adjustment should be considered in the light of lacklustre private demand."
Stephen Gifford, director of economics from the business lobby group the CBI, said: "With recent data from our business surveys suggesting that growth at the beginning of this year was broadly flat, it's not surprising that the IMF has lowered its forecast.
"Consumers are being squeezed by high inflation and low wages and business confidence remains unsettled, so the pace of growth is expected to be muted through 2013."
Japan was the only developed economy to come out with a good prognosis from the IMF.
It said that the country, which has been mired in recession for much of the last 20 years, would see growth both this year and next, of 1.4% and 1.6% respectively.
It also said consumer prices would notch up 0.1% this year and hit a rare height of 3% in 2014, thanks to the Bank of Japan's new bout of monetary easing announced earlier this month.
More generally, the IMF said "the road to recovery in the advanced economies will remain bumpy".
Its report forecast US growth of 1.9% this year, an Chinese growth of 8% for the year as a whole, slightly higher than the 7.7% growth rate it reported this week.


In our series of letters from African journalists, novelist and writer Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani looks at why Nigerians are hoping to be entertained by a crackdown on corruption.

Two major industries in Nigeria share similar elements of melodrama and wildly implausible plots - films and politics.
Films produced by Nollywood, Nigeria's version of Hollywood, have uncomplicated titles and themes that tell all you need to know, such as Love Me or I Die, Festival of Blood and Mother-in-law Attack.
But if you want thrill and suspense or intrigue, the place to turn to is the equally lucrative political industry.
In January 2012, for example, the Nigerian National Assembly set the stage for a new blockbuster that kept viewers riveted for months.
Nigerians had never before heard anything as brazen. Between 2009 and 2011, we were told, a number of local oil and gas companies had obtained government subsidies totalling $6.8bn (Â£4.3bn) for fuel they never delivered.
Daily on live television, the investigating committee headed by MP Farouk Lawan did more than expose the scam. The committee named names. At the conclusion of the proceedings, Mr Lawan received an ovation from his fellow legislators for such excellent and thorough work.
Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani:
"The late Obafemi Awolowo, a statesman who played a key role in Nigeria's independence movement, once described government in the West African state as a 'few holding the cow for the strongest and most cunning to milk'"
Enter billionaire oil magnate, Femi Otedola. His two companies had been named by the committee.
Publicly, Mr Otedola denied the allegations. He accused Mr Lawan of having included the names of his companies on the list solely for the purpose of soliciting a bribe from him - alleging the MP would have erased the names from the list once he received payment.
The price for such consideration on Mr Lawan's behalf?  $3m.
Mr Otedola revealed that he had already paid about $500,000 of the total bribe demanded.  He had also, he said, videotaped the entire transaction secretly.
In one alleged scene described by Reuters news agency, Mr Lawan, dressed in a traditional long "agbada" shirt and cap, is seated beside Mr Otedola, sorting through a huge pile of dollar bills. Afterwards, he fills his pockets until they overflow, and then stuffs the rest of the money into his cap.
It all seemed very Nollywood 2.0.
Mr Lawan was then charged in court with soliciting from the oil tycoon. He denied the charges and calmly maintained the same righteous poise.
"I believe in the end," he said, "Nigerians will come to believe and see that for the 13 years I have invested in championing good governance, responsibility and probity in this country, that this last trial is a trial from God, and I believe in the end we shall prevail."
He did - completing his tenure in the House in June 2015. The issue soon vanished into the Bermuda Triangle of Nigeria's many highly publicised corruption scandals.
Mr Otedola is still supplying fuel and the alleged $500,000 paid to Mr Lawan has also not been retrieved.
So Nigerians still do not know whether Mr Otedola was guilty of fuel subsidy scamming or if he was the victim of extortion. Perhaps, this shall be revealed in a Part Two.
This is just a snippet of corruption in Nigeria. During her tenure as US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, in a report on global human rights in Nigeria presented to the US Congress, expressed utter astonishment at the depth and breadth of corruption in Africa's main oil producer.
She described the three tiers of the Nigerian government as riddled with "massive, widespread and pervasive corruption".
The late Nigerian Obafemi Awolowo, a statesman who played a key role in Nigeria's independence movement, once described government in the West African state as a "few holding the cow for the strongest and most cunning to milk".
Many Nigerians, and concerned observers around the world, have now placed their hopes for an end to all these shenanigans on Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria's new president.
They insist that his reputation as a disciplinarian and his austere lifestyle will do the trick. They believe that his historic election in March marks the beginning of a revolution that will sweep corruption away from Nigeria.
The media has already begun tantalising viewers with teasers with headlines such as "Buhari to Revisit $182m Halliburton Bribery Case", "Buhari Vows to Probe 'Missing' NNPC $20bn" and "Buhari Tracks Stolen Funds to US, UK, Switzerland".
If indeed President Buhari goes ahead to conduct these investigations, the country may very well be on the verge of cementing its star on the walkway of global entertainment.
Nigerians at home and abroad can hardly wait for the cameras to begin to roll.
More from Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani:
Is Buhari a changed man?
Why visa rejections do not halt Nigerian migrants
Nigeria's 'brown envelope' journalism


An Indian soldier who was buried for six days in an avalanche on the Siachen glacier in Indian-administered Kashmir remains "very critical" in hospital.

Lance Naik (Corporal) Hanamanthappa Koppad was trapped under 8m of snow at a height of nearly 6,000m along with nine other soldiers who all died.
An army statement said that Mr Koppad "continues to battle the odds" and remains "ventilator dependent".
The avalanche hit an army post on the glacier's northern side last Wednesday.
Siachen is patrolled by troops from both India and Pakistan, who dispute the region's sovereignty. It is also known as the world's highest battlefield.


Stevenage defender Luke Wilkinson has signed a new contract at the club.

Wilkinson was part of a Stevenage side that lost just one of their last nine games in League Two as they finished 14 points clear of relegation.
The 25-year-old former Portsmouth trainee joined the Boro from Luton in the January transfer window.
Wilkinson, who had already made 24 appearances for the Hatters during the 2015-16 season, then played 19 games for Stevenage.