Ozawa ready to face prosecutors' questioning on Nishimatsu donations

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TOKYO, March 6 Kyodo -
Main opposition Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa said Friday he
is willing to respond to questions from prosecutors over a political funds
scandal that has led to the arrest of his chief secretary.
''I will meet with anyone and give explanations if there is such a request,''
Ozawa told reporters, referring to media reports that the Tokyo District Public
Prosecutors Office is considering questioning Ozawa over donations from
Nishimatsu Construction Co.-linked groups.
Ozawa reiterated that he has no intention at this stage of resigning as DPJ
leader, but hinted at the possibility of reconsidering the matter depending on
how investigations proceed.
''My understanding of the political funds reports is different from that (of
Tokyo prosecutors) but I have not committed any crimes, and at this point I am
not thinking of whether I should step down or not,'' Ozawa told reporters at
the party's head office in Tokyo.
''It's a decision to make after the results come out,'' he said.
Regarding a series of reports which contradict Ozawa's assertions at a news
conference Wednesday, Ozawa said, ''Although the reports suggest I was a
suspect in bribery, this is not the case at all.''
On the specific flows of the donations, however, Ozawa said, ''I don't know
about each cash flow because I trust my secretary and leave these matters'' in
his hands.
Earlier this week, Ozawa's secretary Takanori Okubo, 47, was arrested on
suspicion of taking illegal corporate donations from two political
organizations related to Nishimatsu Construction.
The incident came at a time of mounting speculation that Ozawa could lead the
DPJ to victory in the next general election and become the next prime minister.
DPJ Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama said in a news conference that his party
believes in Ozawa, while criticizing a senior government official's comment
that the incident would not spill over to lawmakers of the ruling Liberal
Democratic Party.
''The government official made a slip of the tongue,'' Hatoyama said. ''How can
this government official make such a confident comment on the course of the
prosecutors' investigation? It's very strange, and I can't help being
skeptical.''
''I can't help doubting that there has been some kind of conversation between
the Cabinet and the prosecutors and that the prosecutors were sending some kind
of message to the Cabinet,'' he said.
Regarding a House of Representatives election which must be held by this fall,
Hatoyama said he would like people to see that DPJ members will unite and fight
under Ozawa, even though there are diverse views within the party.
Although no DPJ lawmakers have called for Ozawa to resign, some believe a sense
of distrust of Ozawa and DPJ executives defending has started to spread.
DPJ lawmaker Akihisa Nagashima said Thursday, ''I will believe him (Ozawa) as
he says there is nothing to hide,'' but added, ''I'll have to make another
judgment if any facts emerge that contradict what Mr. Ozawa says.''
==Kyodo
2009-03-06 20:54:03