Ozawa hints at resigning if scandal hurts DPJ's election chances

Wednesday 11th March, 05:00 AM JST

TOKYO —

Main opposition Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa hinted Tuesday he will make a decision on resignation if a political funds scandal which led to the arrest of his secretary last week will have negative effects on the party in a general election.

Meanwhile, prosecutors have asked a DPJ House of Representatives member, Tomohiro Ishikawa, to accept questioning on a voluntary basis over the scandal, investigative sources said.

Ishikawa, a former secretary of Ozawa, is believed to have crafted political funds reports for Ozawa’s fund management body, and the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office expects him to detail the background of the scandal, according to the sources.

At a news conference, Ozawa said, ‘‘In order to achieve my lifelong goal, we have to score a victory in a general election. I would like to make judgments on my standards of future actions by placing a measure on this point.’‘

But he denied he will step down at this time, saying, ‘‘I’m certainly not thinking about resignation until a final conclusion comes out,’’ adding that he needs to make a decision by looking into the contents of the investigation.

Ozawa reiterated his belief that his arrested secretary, 47-year-old Takanori Okubo, will not be indicted, while admitting he bears responsibility for supervising Okubo.

Okubo’s arrest last week is considered to be a serious blow to the main opposition party, which is hoping to seize power from the Liberal Democratic Party-led ruling coalition in a lower house election against the backdrop of rising public support for the DPJ.

A House of Representatives election must be held by this fall.

In the news conference, Ozawa publicly offered an apology for the first time, saying, ‘‘I’d like to apologize for causing trouble and worries to party members as well as the public since last week because of matters related to my political funds.’‘

Okubo allegedly took illegal donations of 21 million yen from general contractor Nishimatsu Construction Co from 2003 to 2006 and falsely reported them as donations from dummy entities in violation of the political funds control law.

It is believed that Ishikawa, who became a secretary for Ozawa in 1996 and won a seat in the Diet in March 2007, worked with Okubo for several years at Ozawa’s fund management body, Rikuzankai.

In the political funds report from 2000 to 2004 for Rikuzankai, the name of Ishikawa appears as a person in charge of clerical work.

The lawmaker has said his job at the organization included creating political funds reports and issuance of bills and receipts, as well as soliciting fundraising party tickets.

The prosecutors are expected to confirm whether he was aware of the possibly illegal situation involving the Nishimatsu-related donations, the sources said.

Ozawa said, meanwhile, his biggest goal as a politician is to realize a change of government, establish politics and an administration led by the people, and ‘‘establish a real parliamentary democracy’’ in Japan.

Ozawa denied reports that Nishimatsu’s donations were intended to gain his favor in relation to public works projects, saying he thinks there is no relationship between the donations and acceptance of public works projects orders.

Earlier in the day, Ozawa told his party executives that he has dealt with political funds properly in accordance with the political funds control law and offered an apology, Ozawa said.

At two meetings with senior party lawmakers, no DPJ lawmakers called for his resignation, party members said.

DPJ Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama said at the meetings he wants DPJ members to unite and realize Ozawa’s aim, according to a DPJ lawmaker who was present.

The funds scandal involving Nishimatsu has shown signs of spreading to the ruling bloc. According to the investigative sources, prosecutors plan to question associates of Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai possibly this week over alleged illegal donations involving Nishimatsu.

Nikai told reporters on Tuesday that prosecutors have so far questioned none of his aides or associates in connection with the Nishimatsu scandal.

Nikai, a veteran LDP lawmaker, has denied any wrongdoing. On Monday, he told the House of Councillors Budget Committee he had no recollection of receiving donations from the construction company.

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15 Comments

apecNetworks at 04:23 PM JST - 10th March

I may get heat for saying this:

‘‘My goal is to establish a real parliamentary democracy,......"

A competitive political party to the LDP would allow more people's interests to be addressed. Winning would be filled w/ interests.
Blue_Tiger at 06:33 PM JST - 10th March

In the upcoming election, if the DPJ gains zero seats, or loses some, all the blame will be on Ozawa. The man needs to resign. Every little accident or mistake or bad quote by an LDP member sends Ozawa on a "he/she should resign" tirade. Now that he's been cuaght with his fat fingers in the cookie jar, he should abide his own words: resign.

As he won't, he will cost the DPJ dearlyi n the election....
Simon_Foston at 07:57 PM JST - 10th March

In the upcoming election, if the DPJ gains zero seats, or loses some, all the blame will be on Ozawa. The man needs to resign. Every little accident or mistake or bad quote by an LDP member sends Ozawa on a "he/she should resign" tirade. Now that he's been cuaght with his fat fingers in the cookie jar, he should abide his own words: resign.

As he won't, he will cost the DPJ dearlyi n the election....

Indeed. The very fact that Nishimatsu are also under investigation for illegal donations to LDP politicians only makes it sound more likely to me that they were lining Ozawa's pockets as well. He needs to go all right, but as the DPJ legislators don't appear to have the guts to tell him to quit it shows that none of them have what it takes to present a viable alternative to Aso, or whatever brain-dead nonentity the LDP put forward to replace him.
Shumatsu_Samurai at 10:25 PM JST - 10th March

So he'll consider resigning only after he tanks the DPJ's chances? What a selfless guy he is, stepping down when it's too late to make a difference!
smithinjapan at 11:25 PM JST - 10th March

I'm sorry, but even saying, "I'll resign if..." means you should resign right away. That kind of statement will hurt your standing immediately, if it wasn't already damaged. Any remaining confidence in the man has just been lost (some still liked him, I'm sure).

Anyway, he's gone, and good riddance. Now PLEASE come up with a good alternative both him and Aso...and quick, 'cause an election's coming on soon.
TheMarion at 11:34 PM JST - 10th March

For several years I have recognized Ozawa as a true representative of the people of Japan and now I must look at him as just another Japanese politician. Isn't there anyone out there who can truly represent the people of Japan?
Thenewfront at 11:39 PM JST - 10th March

Japan needs a diplomatic man of true stature, someone like John Prescott.

Ozawa and his ilk are all unfit at running anything in my opinion.
Sebarashii at 12:24 AM JST - 11th March

Ozawa can't resign now. If he were to step down at this point, who would lead the party into the election campaign? Look at the DPJ homepage: The whole campaign is designed around his person. That's why the LDP is trying so hard to emphasize potential links of Ozawa to this scandal.

Also, if he steps down now, the election would be already lost to the DPJ and Ozawa's hypothetical successor had to resign afterwards, as well. And who should follow him as chairman, anyway? Hatoyama? Kan, again?

The DPJ should have stuck to Maehara Seiji, their surprisingly young former chairman who took over after the last election in 2005 and had to resign soon afterwards in the wake of that stupid E-Mail scandal. He might have been a little naive, politically speaking, but he had the chance to become really popular.
sharky1 at 01:55 AM JST - 11th March

Ozawa, you don't have to wait. Both you and Aso should go ahead and resign.
MeanRingo at 07:24 AM JST - 11th March

Complete anarchy seems a more viable option than any of these parties. Or, dare I throw my hat in with the black van crew and call for the Emp to come back and take control of the biz?
tkoind2 at 09:07 AM JST - 11th March

Ozawa should go. Japan doesn't need another clueless leader. It needs a real leader to face what is coming in the next few years.

The sad point is that there is not a single individual out there that I can think of who is up to the task.

Bring by Koizumi, at least he had some clue about trying to run the nation. At least until someone else can be found who also has a clue. Which rules out most of the contenders includling the very clueless Ozawa and Aso.
Blue_Tiger at 04:19 PM JST - 11th March

Trust me on this, folks: Mr. Ozawa is a childish, selfish pol who will not step down, even if the DPJ ends up getting trounced at the polls in the upcoming elections. This scandal will hurt the DPJ, and it already is hurting Mr. Ozawa, especially since he won't come clean. I expect a surge for votes for a third party at the elections. The LDP is playing softball with this, even so much as Faction Leader Bunme Ibuki telling candidates and LDP members not to make this scandal a political issue.

As scary as this sounds, I wouldn't be surprised if the Communist Party of Japan makes some serious inroads in this next election. The DPJ and Mr. Ozawa certainly won't be the ruling party after this next election, thanks to Mr. Ozawa's attitude and handlign of this situation.
Seiharinokaze at 06:06 PM JST - 11th March

Arrest of Ozawa's secretary, carried out at this time, seems by all appearance rather purposeful and a bit desperate. It might possibly backlash and incite typical Japanese sympathy for the underdog (as we call it "Hangan Biiki"). Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Uruma gave a comment that cast doubt over the fairness of investigations which he later denied saying, and then information began to circulate from somewhere that prosecutors would also question parties close to Nikai Toshihiro (present Cabinet minister and LDP member) over the scandal as if to mitigate the doubt. How does all this get leaked?

As Ms Tanaka Makiko pointed out on a TV program last Sunday, there seem to be some people in high place who do not want a regime change in this country. They act by order of the so-called Japan handlers or now maybe Team Hillary who have to prevent DPJ from winning a sweeping victory in the next general election. Makiko-san suggested that we should be cool-headed to see through deception or some hidden agenda under the guise of forceful righteousness.
Triumvere at 08:47 PM JST - 11th March

What a drama queen.
bobbafett at 09:37 PM JST - 11th March

Oh boy. no wonder Japanese people say "shoganai". The country is rotten from top to bottom.