ID :
48800
Tue, 03/03/2009 - 21:54
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/48800
The shortlink copeid
Secretary of DPJ leader Ozawa arrested over illegal donations
+
TOKYO, March 3 Kyodo -
Prosecutors arrested on Tuesday a secretary of Ichiro Ozawa, head of the main
opposition Democratic Party of Japan and a leading candidate for next prime
minister, on suspicion of receiving illegal corporate donations from
scandal-tainted Nishimatsu Construction Co., in violation of the political
funds control law.
While arresting 47-year-old Takanori Okubo, also chief accountant of Ozawa's
political body ''Rikuzankai,'' the special investigation unit of the Tokyo
District Public Prosecutors Office served a fresh arrest warrant on a former
Nishimatsu president, Mikio Kunisawa, 70, who has been indicted on a separate
charge, and nabbed Akifumi Okazaki, 67, a former senior employee of Nishimatsu,
the prosecutors said.
Under the law, corporate donations, except for political parties or their
political fund-managing organizations, are prohibited.
Regarding the allegations, Ozawa told a DPJ executive meeting that he dealt
with the money appropriately. But he declined to hold a press conference,
stirring calls that he should clarify accountability.
In January, Ozawa told reporters that he had reported his political funds in
accordance with the law.
According to political fund reports for 2004-2006, Rikuzankai received 14
million yen in donations in total from two groups headed by a former Nishimatsu
official, while a DPJ local branch, headed by Ozawa, received 10 million yen in
total from them.
The Ozawa side, however, received 180 million yen in total from the Nishimatsu
camp during the 11-year period up to and including 2006, according to informed
sources.
According to sources close to Nishimatsu Construction, the two groups, both
disbanded in 2006, claimed they donated the money from membership fees
collected from company employees, but the company actually incurred the
membership fees by adding them to the employees' bonuses and instructed the
groups how to donate the funds.
The two groups served as dummies for the corporate donations, the sources said.
The latest development will be a serious blow to Ozawa, who could assume the
premiership if his party takes power at the next general election to be held by
the autumn at a time when the popularity of Prime Minister Taro Aso is
declining.
According to the investigation, Okubo is suspected of receiving 1 million yen
in donations at Rikuzankai from one of the Nishimatsu group in 2006, although
he was aware the money was from the company.
He also allegedly reported to the government 21 million yen in donations from
Nishimatsu from 2003 to 2006 to Ozawa's political body as coming from the two
dummy groups, the prosecutors said.
Kunisawa and Okazaki, meanwhile, allegedly provided 1 million yen to Rikuzankai
in 2006 under the name of one of the Nishimatsu groups, although the donation
was actually paid by the company, according to the prosecutors.
Okubo became Ozawa's secretary after serving as a member of the city assembly
of Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture. He lost the mayoral election in 1999 in the
middle of his second term as an assembly member.
Lawmakers showed mixed reactions to the development, with a Liberal Democratic
Party lawmaker saying it is a good opportunity for the embattled Aso to
dissolve the House of Representatives for a general election, while DPJ
Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama said, ''It must be a conspiracy.''
Aso himself declined to comment on the case, only suggesting the arrest of
Ozawa's secretary will not affect the timing of the dissolution of the lower
house.
Tatsuya Sakuma, deputy chief prosecutor at the Tokyo District Public
Prosecutors Office, told a press conference, ''We have investigated the
fraudulent funds in a straightforward manner.''
''In the face of the unjust donations, we have determined that we cannot pass
them over out of political considerations,'' he said.
While Nishimatsu is believed to have provided donations to other lawmakers,
Sakuma declined to comment on whether the prosecutors will investigate other
donations.
Earlier this month, Kunisawa, together with another former executive, was
indicted for allegedly telling subordinates to bring 70 million yen in slush
fund money into Japan from overseas without reporting it to customs
authorities, in violation of the foreign exchange and foreign trade law.
After winning the lower house seat in 1969, Ozawa, 66, established a footing in
the LDP to become the party secretary general in 1989.
However, he left the LDP and formed the New Frontier Party and the Liberal
Party before joining the DPJ in 2003. He was elected as DPJ president in 2006
and made it the largest party in the House of Councillors in 2007.
==Kyodo
2009-03-03 23:11:28
TOKYO, March 3 Kyodo -
Prosecutors arrested on Tuesday a secretary of Ichiro Ozawa, head of the main
opposition Democratic Party of Japan and a leading candidate for next prime
minister, on suspicion of receiving illegal corporate donations from
scandal-tainted Nishimatsu Construction Co., in violation of the political
funds control law.
While arresting 47-year-old Takanori Okubo, also chief accountant of Ozawa's
political body ''Rikuzankai,'' the special investigation unit of the Tokyo
District Public Prosecutors Office served a fresh arrest warrant on a former
Nishimatsu president, Mikio Kunisawa, 70, who has been indicted on a separate
charge, and nabbed Akifumi Okazaki, 67, a former senior employee of Nishimatsu,
the prosecutors said.
Under the law, corporate donations, except for political parties or their
political fund-managing organizations, are prohibited.
Regarding the allegations, Ozawa told a DPJ executive meeting that he dealt
with the money appropriately. But he declined to hold a press conference,
stirring calls that he should clarify accountability.
In January, Ozawa told reporters that he had reported his political funds in
accordance with the law.
According to political fund reports for 2004-2006, Rikuzankai received 14
million yen in donations in total from two groups headed by a former Nishimatsu
official, while a DPJ local branch, headed by Ozawa, received 10 million yen in
total from them.
The Ozawa side, however, received 180 million yen in total from the Nishimatsu
camp during the 11-year period up to and including 2006, according to informed
sources.
According to sources close to Nishimatsu Construction, the two groups, both
disbanded in 2006, claimed they donated the money from membership fees
collected from company employees, but the company actually incurred the
membership fees by adding them to the employees' bonuses and instructed the
groups how to donate the funds.
The two groups served as dummies for the corporate donations, the sources said.
The latest development will be a serious blow to Ozawa, who could assume the
premiership if his party takes power at the next general election to be held by
the autumn at a time when the popularity of Prime Minister Taro Aso is
declining.
According to the investigation, Okubo is suspected of receiving 1 million yen
in donations at Rikuzankai from one of the Nishimatsu group in 2006, although
he was aware the money was from the company.
He also allegedly reported to the government 21 million yen in donations from
Nishimatsu from 2003 to 2006 to Ozawa's political body as coming from the two
dummy groups, the prosecutors said.
Kunisawa and Okazaki, meanwhile, allegedly provided 1 million yen to Rikuzankai
in 2006 under the name of one of the Nishimatsu groups, although the donation
was actually paid by the company, according to the prosecutors.
Okubo became Ozawa's secretary after serving as a member of the city assembly
of Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture. He lost the mayoral election in 1999 in the
middle of his second term as an assembly member.
Lawmakers showed mixed reactions to the development, with a Liberal Democratic
Party lawmaker saying it is a good opportunity for the embattled Aso to
dissolve the House of Representatives for a general election, while DPJ
Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama said, ''It must be a conspiracy.''
Aso himself declined to comment on the case, only suggesting the arrest of
Ozawa's secretary will not affect the timing of the dissolution of the lower
house.
Tatsuya Sakuma, deputy chief prosecutor at the Tokyo District Public
Prosecutors Office, told a press conference, ''We have investigated the
fraudulent funds in a straightforward manner.''
''In the face of the unjust donations, we have determined that we cannot pass
them over out of political considerations,'' he said.
While Nishimatsu is believed to have provided donations to other lawmakers,
Sakuma declined to comment on whether the prosecutors will investigate other
donations.
Earlier this month, Kunisawa, together with another former executive, was
indicted for allegedly telling subordinates to bring 70 million yen in slush
fund money into Japan from overseas without reporting it to customs
authorities, in violation of the foreign exchange and foreign trade law.
After winning the lower house seat in 1969, Ozawa, 66, established a footing in
the LDP to become the party secretary general in 1989.
However, he left the LDP and formed the New Frontier Party and the Liberal
Party before joining the DPJ in 2003. He was elected as DPJ president in 2006
and made it the largest party in the House of Councillors in 2007.
==Kyodo
2009-03-03 23:11:28
