“James Kelly, who appreciated Akiyama’s special knowledge and potential contribution to the field, offered Akiyama to help find funds,” Vogel said.

When asked about his relationship to Kelly, Vogel said, “I do know James Kelly and know that in his position at CSIS he wanted to promote good research on the U.S.-Japan relationship.”

The Crimson reported Friday that CSIS had provided $39,600 for Akiyama from 1999 to 2000.

But recent news reports claim that Peng Run-tzu, a politically-active industrialist, arranged for Taiwan Transport Machinery to send money through James Kelly at CSIS to Akiyama.

Former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui allegedly created a secret slush fund to bribe foreign officials, according to the Washington Post, and companies like Peng’s Taiwan Transport Machinery were fronts for this secret campaign.

Akiyama denied knowledge of Peng’s involvement in his fellowship funds at Harvard.

“I know Mr. Peng. I met with him in a seminar held in Tokyo when I was serving for [the] Japanese Government. But we didn’t have any contact in this process,” Akiyama wrote in an e-mail.

Akiyama also denied any connection with Taiwan and said that he did not know Kelly before coming to Harvard. He said that he was not aware of the funding sources for his stay.

Kelly could not be reached for comment.

The Pacific Forum of CSIS was also unavailable for comment.

The Crimson reported Friday that the Yamada International Corporation, a Japanese company with a U.S. based subsidiary, sponsored Akiyama from 2000 to 2001—after his CSIS funding ran out.

Yamada International—which transfers American military technology to Japan—sponsored Akiyama’s study of U.S.-Japan strategic cooperation.

Yamada International Corporation could not be reached for comment.

Both Nye and Vogel said in separate e-mail messages that they are not acquainted with either Taiwan Transport Machinery or Yamada International Corp.